The Hidden Song
by The Blue-eyed Storier
Summary: A wormhole takes Wander and Sylvia to a new galaxy, where they encounter a planet inhabited by friendly and hostile creatures alike...including another of Wander's species. Once again, Wander's optimistic, innocent nature - his greatest strength and greatest weakness - brings him both treasure and trouble. (Rated T for thematic elements and violence)
1. I

**~The Hidden Song ~**

 **Author's note:  
I want to mention a few things here.  
**

 **1 - Just as my last fanfic, The Origin, was a "prequel" to the events in the show WOY, this is a "sequel" to those events. If you haven't read it yet, you can, but you don't have to...I only reference it one or two short times in this story.  
**

 **2 - I've decided to make a Tumblr page specifically for art based off my two WOY fan fics, because I enjoy drawing, and have a feeling some of you would like to see those drawings. So if you want you can occasionally check my page at -** **tbestorierwoyfanficart** **. tumbler** **. com - (ignore spaces) to see if I've added anything :) The password is - peach - (you will find out why eventually). I would recommend, however, to make sure you have every chapter finished each time you check my page, because otherwise - possible spoilers! And who wants that? :P**

 **3 – My Star-born OC was inspired by Frigg-Fluff's awesome character Aka who you can find here:** **frigg-fluff . deviantart /** **art / Aka-459696861 (ignore spaces) I really have to give her credit...it was that one drawing that jumpstarted my imagination and grew into this whole, intricate story**

 **4 - Please review my story if you can. I'd love to hear how I could improve in my writing, or just what you think of the story so far.  
Enjoy!**

 **I**

The black void of Space surrounded them, scattered with countless stars that twinkled every color imaginable. The last planet they'd explored had long since been swallowed into the black behind them, but they didn't mind. Wander was confident another was waiting for them not too far ahead; they just had to keep their eyes peeled.

Sylvia plodded comfortably along, walking with the steady, easy-going stride she used every time she traveled long distances. Wander lounged on her back, occasionally plucking out a string of notes on his banjo. They were not unwelcome to Sylvia's ears.

"Hater's birthday is only 154 days away," he murmured. "I'm thinking of planning him a surprise party."

Sylvia snorted with laughter. "Oh, that's gonna turn out well."

"You really think so?"

"Considering how his last birthday turned out? No."

"Well, Hater and I are friends now. That makes everything different."

"By friends, I think you mean, Hater no longer tries to demolish you every time he sees you."

"Close enough."

She hid a smile and continued to trek doggedly onwards.

After some time, she was startled by a light pat on the neck.

"Hey, you see those stars over there? They're movin' funny." Wander pointed.

"Where?" She squinted at where he was pointing.

A cluster of stars was moving sideways quickly and then disappearing. Others appeared to take their place. They all looked a little squashed.

"That's weird."

Wander tugged at her harness excitedly. "Can we go check it out?"

Sylvia ignored the queasy feeling tugging at her stomach. "If you say so." As she moved closer and closer, they found themselves approaching what looked like a huge round ball of blackness speckled with stars that was slowly rotating to the side.

"Whoa, that's a wormhole," Sylvia said, backing up a few steps. "These things are rare, and rarely used. They give me the creeps big time. Best to leave those things alone."

Her heart sank when she saw the look on Wander's face. "I've gone through a wormhole before," he said quickly. "They're fuuun. Come on, Syl, there's always a first time for everything!"

"No way. Who knows where that thing might take us?"

"That's the fun of it! We get to find out!"

She stood unamused as Wander did a little happy dance on her back, still in the saddle.

"Wormhole! Wormhole! Wormhole!"

"Alright, alright, since you've made it through one already, I'll try it out. But you've got to help me if things get a little crazy."

"Helping is what I do best!" Wander grinned. "Let's go!"

Her whole body tense, Sylvia walked forwards.

"I should mention, you gotta go faster and build up momentum, otherwise you'll get swept off your feet."

"Fine." She clenched her teeth. _Come on, Sylvia girl…if a little shrimp like Wander can make it through one of these, so can you._ She forced herself to break into a run. Her feet moved faster and faster until they were a blur. The closer they got, the faster the stars seemed to be moving. Everything in Sylvia wanted her to pull away, but she kept going.

"Don't want to push ya, but we need to be going even faster-

Wander's voice broke off as the wormhole finally grabbed hold of them. Sylvia stumbled forward and scrambled to regain her balance as their bubble was sucked through a tunnel of stars and galaxies. At first the bubble moved mostly in a straight line, but as they picked up speed it started to slide sideways, first left, then right, shuddering madly. Wander clung to her neck, laughing with exhilaration. Sylvia continued fighting to stay upright, but after a particularly rough patch she fell and the two tumbled around in the bubble. Wander managed to grab back onto Sylvia's neck and hollered in her ear, "Doin' great!"

Sylvia choose not to reply.

At last they were flung out of the horrible, roaring, rushing tunnel and back into Space, which they now flew through like a cannonball.

"Planet dead ahead!" Wander shouted. "Syl, you might wanna-

"I'm working on it!" Sylvia yelled, running against the opposite end of the bubble with all of her might. "Why did that flarpin' planet have to be so dang close!"

When she glanced back, Sylvia could see the planet growing rapidly. It was a mass of colorful blues, greens, browns, and purples, with a giant gray stain on one portion.

"Flabdrassin' Wander. Flabdrassin' wormhole," she growled, running harder. She felt a new force catch hold of them as they entered the planet's gravitational field. Normally the bubble was enough to counteract the gravity, but they were already moving at such a high speed that it did nothing this time.

"Just keep running, we'll be fine," Wander encouraged, sitting backwards in the saddle and watching the planet rush towards them.

Sweat was pouring down her body and her legs were burning with agony but still she kept going. Gradually she could feel the bubble slowing down, but it wasn't going to be enough.

"Wander! You think you could get your hat to give you another one of those "protection" bubbles you used when Dom's ship exploded? That could really come in handy right now!"

"Let me check." He reached in and pulled out a bubble caster. "I think this is it!"

"Then use it!" Sylvia yelled.

The moment the new bubble wrapped around them, her legs gave out and she slid backwards, causing Wander to tumble forwards. He grabbed onto her and she curled her body around him to protect him. Within seconds they made impact and everything went black.


	2. II

**II**

Wander's soft, shaky voice woke her up.

"Syl, Syl, can you hear me? Are you hurt?"

She groaned, stretched, and opened her eyes. "My whole body feels sore, and I have a bit of a headache, but other than that I'm fine."

Wander sat back and sighed in relief. The look on his face tugged at Sylvia's heart. "I thought you might be…I'm sorry I wanted to go through the wormhole."

Sylvia got to her feet and surveyed the crater of dirt around them. "It's okay…I'm just glad both of us are still in one piece. Where are we, anyways? You think you've ever been here before?"

Wander glanced around and shook his head. "Never seen trees like these before."

By some miracle they had landed in a small clearing. Around them loomed a forest of incredibly tall trees with thick, gnarled trunks. Most were a golden brown, but some were blue, orange, gray, yellow-tan, and even black. The leaves were all a normal green, however.

"I wonder who lives here," Wander said. "I know the quickest way to find out."

Sylvia's head jerked up. "Wait, Wander-

"Haalloooooooo!" Wander shouted, cupping his hands around his mouth. "Anyone there?"

"Wander, wait next time," Sylvia huffed. "I wanted to get a good look at our surroundings first and see what we might be up against before we outright announce ourselves. There's danger out there, you know."

"Aw, what dangers could lurk in such a beautiful forest?"

"You'd be surprised where you can find evil."

"Well, you'd be surprised where you can find good."

For a long moment they stood there, listening to the whispering of the wind in the leaves and the twittering birds.

"I don't think anyone heard me that time." Wander drew in a deep breath.

Sylvia grabbed him with her tail and pulled him close, clapping a hand over his mouth. "Not now! I think we're being watched!" she hissed, edging into the lowest part of the crater and scanning the trees. "And I don't know if they're friendly…why would they be hiding from us?"

She squinted at a figure as it slid out of the shadows, followed by two more.

"Who might you two be? Travelers?" the leader asked, slowly approaching them. His body was a dark chestnut color and his skin had countless rivets running through it, giving his skin a wood-like appearance. He had a slightly elongated body that looked thin but strong. His hair was made up of long, dark green strands that he had tied back. The other two looked similar in appearance except one's skin was more of a burnt orange than a brown, and his hair was a much lighter green. All three of them were wearing black ninja uniforms, and the back two were armed with bows, while the leader had one sword at his side. His black eyes, devoid of any white, bored into Sylvia's own eyeballs.

She released Wander, who was staring at the three with fascination, and stood as tall as she could manage. "We are, indeed, travelers," she started nervously. "I'm Sylvia, and this is Wander. We used a wormhole not far from here, and sort of crash-landed on your planet. I hope we're not intruding in any way."

The leader kept his eyes fixed on Sylvia while the other two studied the crater and the disrupted earth around their feet. Then he smiled.

"It is so wonderful to have some new visitors. We don't have many on Yyleiia, as we are close to the very edge of the galaxy, and quite a distance to reach, even by moras."

"What do you mean by wormhole?" the orange-brown one asked. "Is that the name of your mora?"

Sylvia frowned. "I'm sorry, what? Mora?"

"Do you not know what that means?" the leader asked slowly. "Moras are the creatures we use to travel from planet to planet. They are the only beasts of burden in the galaxy capable of carrying a traveler through Space and providing them with oxygen."

Sylvia and Wander looked at each other. Sylvia's mind was spinning.

"Sylvia! That wormhole didn't just take us to another sector of the galaxy – we're in a whole new one!" Wander declared. "This is amazing!"

Sylvia scratched her head. "Yeah, like my buddy's saying, we're not from around here. In our galaxy, we use ships and orbals to get around. A wormhole is our term for a weird pocket in space that acts sort of like a transporter. It looks like a ball of stars movin' around."

The orange-brown one took a step back. "Are you speaking of the Other Space Orb?"

She hesitated. "Yeah…I think that's right."

They stared at her.

"Our chief will want to talk to you," the leader said finally. "I am Ryn, patrol master of the Northwestern Border Guard Wyrls." He held out a hand and smiled courteously.

Sylvia released a laugh. "That's…uh…quite a title. Hey, nice to know you people understand handshakes here." She grasped his hand and shook it. When she glanced at Wander, she realized her friend was being studied by the guards just as intently as he was studying them. They snapped to attention, though, as soon as Ryn spoke.

"Troop, assume formation! We're taking these two visitors back to the fortage to speak with the chief."

The two archer guards moved to flank them and four more guards slipped out the forest, moving to guard their sides.

As Sylvia moved to follow the leader, who was now striding towards the trees, she let out a yelp.

"What's wrong, Syl?"

"Must've twisted or bruised my ankle when we landed," Sylvia said. "I'll be fine, we'll just have to move slow."

Wander put a hand comfortingly on her side and walked with her as they moved into the trees.

"Just wondering," Sylvia said after some time, "What exactly are you "Wyrls" guarding, and what are you guarding it from?"

"We are guarding our Wyrl country-land from the Dhraks, who are rock creatures that came out of the earth a century ago and plague the surface," Ryn said darkly.

Sylvia hesitated. "So…are you considered…wood creatures?" she asked, hoping the question was not offensive.

"We are," Ryn replied.

"Huh. That's cool." Sylvia winced as her ankle bumped a fallen branch. She was running out of things to say. _Usually at this point Wander's running his mouth and I don't have to say a thing._ She glanced over at her buddy and realized he was captivated by the guard walking next to him.

For the first time Sylvia noticed that one guard, _this_ guard, was a different species than the others. She was half the height of the other guards and not much taller than Wander. Her fur was a soft, dark, peachy pink. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail bun, and instead of having a bow and quiver there were two katanas strapped to her back. The most striking part of her appearance was probably her eyes, which were large and beautiful. They looked uncannily similar to Wander's.

Wander was watching her with a friendly smile, but the girl's brows were lowered as she looked over at him. Sylvia couldn't see her mouth under the ninja mask, but she had a feeling she wouldn't find a smile if she could.

 _Is she…one of Wander's species? I've never met another creature like Wander before. Heck, I don't even know what they're called. I've never asked, and Wander's never told me. Just like he didn't mention he was flarpin' over one thousand years old!_

Eventually they reached a road in the forest, and not long after that, a wall. It was made up of logs with the bark still on them nailed sideways into trees and stacking up to a height of over thirty feet. Closer to the top of the wall were small openings, presumably for arrows to be shot through.

"Is this to keep out the Dhraks?" Sylvia asked, impressed.

Ryn nodded.

"I will say, though…it seems a bit unwise to build it from wood. Couldn't they just burn it down?"

He shook his head. "The bark on these trees, Tetra trees, is very fire-resistant."

"Neat."

They were allowed through the gate by a sentry. Not far from the gate the road split off in multiple directions, and a few buildings were visible.

"Is this the fortage?" Sylvia asked, since Wander was still focused on the pink guard and didn't seem ready to talk anytime soon.

"Yes," Ryn replied. "But down here there isn't much…this is mostly just the fort section. The village is up there."

Sylvia looked upwards. "Whoa, Wander, check that out." She nudged his shoulder and he looked at her, then up to where she was pointing.

High up in the massive trees were buildings and stairways and bridges, all made from mostly wood and twine.

"Wow! That's incredible!" Wander piped up. "Why's it so high up there, instead of on or near the ground?"

Ryn looked at him solemnly. "Our main job is to guard the border of our country-land, Fieryon, but we also take care of a community of Wyrls that are family members and workers. The higher they are, the safer they are from any Dhrak attacks. Also, it is our way to live in trees; we were created for their lofts."

"Alright, cool enough, but how do you get up there?"

"You shall see." Ryn led them to one of the biggest trees and ushered them onto a platform of wood that circled around it. When he adjusted a few ropes attached to it, the entire platform started to rise. For a moment Wander returned to his normal senses, running around the platform and oohing and aahing at each new marvel that he saw. Once they'd reached the top, Ryn led them along some wide rope bridges to the largest treehouse Sylvia had ever seen. It had been built completely around the trunk of a tree and branches sprang out of it in all different directions.

"The gathering building is here. Fortunately, the chief is already here to settle several matters, so you will not have to wait."

Sylvia carefully followed him across the last bridge, her stomach lurching as it swung slightly to the side. She'd never been a fan of trees, or treehouses, or anything high up that wasn't secure. Wander, on the other hand, was loving every minute of it.

When she looked back to check on him, Sylvia noticed a growing crowd of Wyrls following them. They looked curious and friendly, but also shy. To Sylvia's interest, the children's green hair were the lightest of all the Wyrls – it appeared that the older the Wyrls got, the darker their hair became.

The gathering room was large and rather intimidating on the inside. At its center was the thick trunk of the tree, various-sized branches growing out of it and into the ceiling in a beautiful display.

The chief himself had honey colored skin and hair so dark green it looked almost black. Countless colorful objects were woven into the strands. His throne was carved with unique, aesthetic symbols and designs, and on both sides of the room were chairs with numerous Wyrls sitting in them.

"Chieftain Nasaki, we have found two visitors not far from the walls who have come from the Other Space Orb." Ryn gestured to them, and Sylvia quickly spoke up.

"My name is Sylvia, and I am a Zbornak from a distant galaxy." She bowed respectfully.

"My name is Wander, and I am a wanderer from the same galaxy." Wander dipped an adorable little bow.

The chief smiled brightly, causing a dozen new crevices to form on his face. "It is so wonderful to have visitors, especially as we have so few, being on the edge of the galaxy." He slid from his chair and glided towards them. "How did you come from the Other Space Orb?"

Sylvia attempted to explain. "Well, it's a strange pocket of space that works sort of like a transporter. It can take you from one area of Space to another area far, far away in a short amount of time."

"Incredible. No traveler that we know of has ever braved its mysterious depths."

His eyes moved to the pink guard and they filled with affection. "Have you been formally introduced to my adopted daughter?" He reached out a hand and took hers gently, pulling her closer to him. The girl's face blushed a darker pink and she looked away from the many eyes that now rested upon her.

"This is my beloved Kaz, a very rare creature known as a Star-born. They are created in the depths of a star by some mysterious force and propelled onto a planet, where they awaken and begin their lives. Star-borns live very long, much longer than even us Wyrls, and they have incredible power deep inside them from the star they came from."

As Nasaki gushed on about Kaz, Sylvia glanced at Wander and realized he was quivering with excitement, a wide grin on his face. "What is it, buddy?" she whispered, already suspecting the answer.

"I was born from a star too," he whispered in reply. He turned back to Nasaki and Kaz. "I was born from a star too!"

They both stared at him, though neither looked very surprised.

"I was hoping you were, but I was afraid to ask," Nasaki said. "How wonderful! You're only the third Star-born we've had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of."

"You're the _first_ Star-born I've ever had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of," Wander said softly, bouncing on his toes and gazing at Kaz with glowing eyes. She looked at him and gave a stiff smile.

By this point Sylvia couldn't help but break in. "Wander, you're telling me you were born from a _star?"_

He looked up at her and nodded. "It's been over a thousand years, but I still remember the day."

Sylvia ran a hand over her light pink comb. "Buddy, you never cease to surprise me. What am I going to learn next – you can shoot lasers out of your fingers?"

Wander laughed. "No, silly dilly."

The murmurs of the other Wyrls had gradually grown louder until now they were a buzz that muffled normal conversation. They died down as soon as Nasaki raised his voice.

"Everyone! Let us celebrate the arrival of our two visitors, especially the new Star-born!"

Wander grabbed Sylvia's arm and nestled close to her, still bouncing with excitement.

"Sylvia! Aren't you glad we came through the wormhole now?"

She looked down at him and couldn't hold back a smile. He looked like a child that had just been taken on a surprise trip to the country fair.

"Yeah, I guess so, buddy."

 **I want to mention here that it is a little strange that Sylvia and Wander speak the same language as the Wyrls, but since the show itself seems to have all the aliens almost universally speaking English, no matter where they're from, I don't think it's that much of a stretch. *Puts on sunglasses* So DEAL with it. B)**


	3. III

**III**

The morning sun crept through the window of their room, illuminating a hollowed out chamber in the side of a tree. Not long after the gentle rays had landed upon the slumbering pair, Wander opened his eyes and stretched.

"Wake up, Syl," he said, backing out of his hat and sliding down her neck. "Let's see what the Wyrls are doing today."

The Zbornak opened one eye. "Where do you want to go?"

Wander plopped his hat on his head and finger-combed the fur on his body until it looked less messy. "I'm not sure. How about figuring out where we can get some brekkie first?"

Sylvia rose to her feet and tested her ankle. "Good, not as sore today," she remarked, following Wander out a door that led onto an outdoor platform.

"Last night was so wonderful," Wander said as they walked up some stairs that wound around the tree. "They eat so many different types of fruit, a bunch of which I didn't even recognize!"

"And don't forget they eat leaves too," Sylvia added. "Lettuce is one thing, but those leaves were _leaves._ And they were eating them by the mouthful!"

She stopped as the stairs beneath them creaked loudly.

"What's wrong?" Wander asked, concerned.

"I don't know if you've noticed, but everything up here is constantly swaying a little. I don't like it."

"I'm sure the Wyrls have built everything securely. And there's plenty of guard-rails; don't worry about falling."

"It's not just that." Sylvia started forward again, gripping the stairs' guard rail more tightly. "My stomach doesn't like it either."

A Wyrl came down the steps towards them. "Good morning, guests! Chief Nasaki has already prepared breakfast for the two of you. He's waiting for you at the feasting floor, the place we all ate last night."

"Thank you," Sylvia said, nodding at him as he passed them. Wander danced up the steps with fresh excitement.

"I hope it's more fruit! They have the _best_ fruit."

"I was talking to Ryn last night, and he says that's all they eat – leaves and fruit."

It wasn't long until they reached the feasting floor. The chief and several elders were sitting and eating at a colorful mat laid out in the middle of the platform. Nasaki's eyes grew animated as soon as he saw them.

"Wander! Sylvia! Sit down and eat with us, honored guests!"

They complied, Wander immediately digging into the food and talking with his mouth full, while Sylvia ate more slowly.

"I want to see a mora," Wander announced suddenly. "What do they look like?"

"They're beautiful creatures that come in many colors," Nasaki replied. "They have a tail that looks like the body of a screw. It ripples smoothly and quickly when they move. Their backs produce oxygen that riders collect and use on the trip. They have very good temperaments for beasts of burden, and live a long time."

"Do you have one?"

"We did, once, but it was killed in a Dhrak attack many moons ago," another elder said quietly.

Wander's face fell and he looked down at the mat. He felt Sylvia softly pat him on the shoulder.

"Hey, what do you guys do for fun around here?" she asked. He knew it was mainly for his sake.

"The young ones like creating obstacle courses that they use to race each other," Nasaki said. "Us older Wyrls enjoy painting and wood-carving. The guards have sparring competitions once in a while, though Kaz almost always wins." He gestured to a Wyrl who was standing at attention nearby. "Saor, please ask Kaz to come here."

Wander brought a large slice of melon to his mouth and started chomping into it vigorously. Sylvia glanced at him but didn't say anything.

Kaz showed up after a few minutes, dressed in the same style ninja outfit she had worn yesterday, except this one had a blue-colored fringe and sash around her waist instead of gold, and her mask was down. The katanas were once again strapped across her back.

"You called, Father?" She stood there rigidly, eyes fixed on his face.

"Yes. You spar regularly with Ryn. Would you mind sparring today, with our guests as audience? They are seeking entertainment."

Kaz frowned. "If they wish to."

Sylvia broke in. "Chief Nasaki, sir, with all respect, I don't think a spar would be necessary…Wander doesn't like to see fighting."

Still chewing away, Wander gave a little nod.

The chief looked at him and his eyes softened. "I understand. Then how about a trip to Lyra Falls?" He turned back to Kaz. "Dhraks haven't been seen there in years…it should be a safe area. Why don't you and Ryn take them today?"

"Ryn planned an investigation of the Right Soryn caves for today. There have been signs of Dhrak activity there all week."

"Ah, yes." His face grew grave. "The trip can wait until tomorrow. You may go now."

Wander swallowed the last of his melon and gave Kaz a little wave. She didn't seem to notice.

"Thank you, Father. We will leave at tenth notch, and hopefully will be back by fifth."

As she turned to go, Nasaki called out, "And Kaz…please be careful."

She glanced back and Wander caught a glimpse of a smile. The tenderness it brought to her face was so lovely that his heart fluttered sharply inside of his chest.

"I will, Father. As always." Then she was gone.

XXX

After breakfast, Nasaki had one of his servants, Fenri, show them around the village. There were gardens growing fruit, buildings holding tools and dried fruit, a tree whose branches were filled with pottery creations that caught rainwater and funneled it into large pitchers, a tree strung with obstacle courses made out of rope and wood, an herbal that provided medicine for the sick, a building for weaving clothes, a building for pottery, painting and woodcarving, a training area for the guards, a weaponry and armor room, and of course, the Wyrls' individual houses for them and their families.

"The forge is on the ground of the fortage, if you want to see it as well," Fenri said.

"I don't mind going down there," Sylvia panted. "I'm a little tired of bein' up here."

Wander finally focused on her instead of the sights around him. Sylvia looked pretty queasy. He guessed her pride prevented her from admitting to the guard the affect this place was having on her stomach.

"Me too," he quickly piped up. "I wouldn't mind a trip to the ground."

Fenri took them down using the same circular platform they rode yesterday and showed them the forge, which was built from stones and mortar. When Sylvia told him they'd take some time to explore the grounds, he left them with a warning. "Feel free to go anywhere you wish, but do not go past the walls. It is rare for Dhraks to venture this close, but it is not worth the risk. Dhraks are very dangerous."

"You heard what he said, Wander," Sylvia said as soon as Fenri was gone. "No _wandering_ over the wall."

"Got it," Wander said cheerfully, leading the way as they moved through the trees. They made their way to a grassy patch where the sun shone down through an opening in the overhead leaves in a glorious stream of gold-white light.

Sylvia sank to the ground and relaxed with a long sigh. Wander leaned against her, enjoying the rhythmic rise and fall of her side as she breathed.

"Ahhh…I could stay here all day," Sylvia said contentedly. "Wander, if you're going to go anywhere, please don't go far."

"I'm good where I am," Wander replied. "You know…" he added after a bit, "I think Kaz is avoiding me for some reason. Every time I tried to talk to her last night, she had some sort of excuse to get away. And this morning, she wouldn't even look at me."

Sylvia was silent for a while. "I noticed that too, buddy. Maybe she's not used to having another Star-born around, and it's just too weird for her to handle right now. Or maybe she's not that friendly of a person."

"I think she's got a good heart underneath," Wander said quietly.

"You think that of just about everyone," Sylvia said with a small smile.

"But with her it's so easy to tell..." Wander hesitated, looking at his fingers clasped in his lap before continuing. "She's like a flower whose petals are tightly closed, and if she just opened them, you would see how beautiful she is."

"Well, how are you going to open them?" Sylvia asked, playing along with Wander's metaphor. "You can't just tear them off one by one, that wouldn't do any good."

Wander smiled. "The same way you get every flower to open – sunshine."


	4. IV

**IV**

The black hills in the west lined the cold night sky. She'd watched the sun slip beneath them until all color had faded from the clouds. The leaves around her rustled soothingly, coaxing a sigh from her lips.

Kaz had gone to her favorite "alone" place, a secluded area high atop a tree on the outskirts of the village with a view of nearly everything around. Usually just being here calmed her down, but today her mind couldn't rest. She couldn't forget the way her friend Ignaz had looked at her this afternoon in the caves, after she'd mowed down the last of the attacking Dhraks.

" _You're still angry, aren't you?"_

"I'm not angry," she muttered, repeating the words she'd said then. "It's been fifty years, and I've changed since then."

Ignaz hadn't said a word. He'd just turned and followed the others as they tramped back to the entrance.

Kaz straightened. Music. Music always helped.

She pulled off the rose-wood mandolin strapped to her back and settled it in her lap. Her fingers immediately found their place at the strings, eager to begin. She didn't feel like playing one of the traditional folk songs of the Wyrls, instead lightly strumming the melody to one of her own.

 _"Wherever you are, I hope that the stars_

 _Shine as brightly for you, as they do for me._

 _Wherever you are, I hope that the wind_

 _Blows a sweet melody, like it does for me._

 _Wherever you are, I hope that the meadow_

 _Is green and cheerful, like the grass at my feet._

 _Wherever you are, I hope you're not far,_

 _From those who love you, like those who love me._

 _Wherever you are, I hope that the stars_

 _Shine as brightly for you, as they do for me."_

No matter how many times she sang it, she always cried on the third time through. But this time, just as the tears were starting to sting her eyes, she heard something strange.

It was as though a second voice, low and soft, had joined hers.

She refused to stop. _This has happened before. You've imagined Ivon singing along so many times you've started to hear his voice._

But the voice was slowly growing stronger, until she knew for certain it had to be real. The tears escaped down her face and her voice faltered. The Wyrls had always left her alone when she was here, so to have someone approach her when she was so vulnerable, so unguarded, threw her into a momentary state of confusion.

Then it hit her.

 _The Star-born, Wander._

She lifted her chin and kept playing, trying to keep her voice steady. As soon as the song had come to a close and their voices drifted off, Kaz drew in her chest and turned around.

It was indeed Wander. He was sitting further back on the thick branch, cross-legged, gazing at her with shining eyes. They were so wide and innocent, so empty of guilt and self-consciousness, that the sharp words forming in her throat stuck there.

"How did you find me?" she managed out.

"I heard your lovely singing." He smiled dreamily.

"Well…it…it's rude to just sneak up to someone and _join_ in while they're singing."

He cocked his head. "What? Why would that be a bother?"

"I don't want other people around when I sing," Kaz said, hunching her shoulders and holding her mandolin closer. "It's...a private thing I do."

Wander swept off his hat. "I beg your pardon, ma'am, I had no idea. Guess I'm just not used to that…" he scratched his head and looked away, finally appearing somewhat bashful. "I sing all the time, everywhere, and around everyone. To me, songs are best when they're shared."

Seeing him upset made Kaz's resentment quickly drain away. She put the mandolin to the side and faced the horizon again, hoping the Star-born would soon leave. But in another moment his voice came from beside her.

"That's a beautiful mandolin you've got there. I love the cherry blossom designs here and here."

"Yes," she said stiffly. _Go away, just please, go away._

"How long have you been called Kaz?"

She blinked.

"A while. Fifty years."

"Who named you?"

"My father, Nasaki. Kaz means brave." She frowned and tried to focus on the leaves shuddering to the right of her, fighting back the memories unexpectedly coming to mind like bubbles rising from the murky depths of a pond.

The ceremony. The pride and sorrow in Nasaki's eyes. Holding back the tears. Accepting the beautifully engraved katanas made for her. Burying the last pair of socks and saying goodbye.

Wander's voice brought her back.

"I don't mean any disrespect, but I don't think the name quite suits you. I don't know how often you take on names, but if you're ready for a new one…I think Melody is just perfect."

She finally looked straight at him. He was watching her like a hopeful child.

The name resonated within her soul and she knew instantly that he was right.

"I can't change my name, it would be disrespectful to the Wyrls, especially my father. But _you_ can call me that, if you like." Before she could stop herself, she smiled at him.

Wander gave a little squeal. "Thank you so much!" As soon as he calmed down he looked at her with large eyes that she understood immediately.

"No, I'm not going to play a song for you." Melody laughed. "Don't give me those sad eyes. I told you, it's something I do privately."

"Fine." Wander moved his toes from side to side and studied the view for a moment. "How do you think up a song?"

Melody hesitated. "I don't really know. They just come to mind ever so often. Some form almost immediately, others take a lot of work before I'm satisfied with them."

"For me, it's like each song is in my heart, hidden away, and I never even know they're there until one day I start singing somethin' new, and it's that song, and all of a sudden it's as though I've known it my whole life."

He pulled out a banjo from his hat. "Want me to play one now?"

"I'm good, Wander." Melody stood to her feet. "I need some sleep right now; I don't want to be dragging my feet on the patrol tomorrow."

He grabbed his banjo and jumped up to face her. "Then I shall not waste another minute of your time, ma'am." He pattered down the branch and looked back. "Goodnight, Melody."

She tasted the word on her lips after he was gone. It had a lovely feel to it, like it was the start of something new.

She shouldered the mandolin and moved through the trees as lightly as a shadow.

Maybe it was.

* * *

 **Just wanted to mention, if you want to hear how the melody of the song goes, I posted a link to it on my tumblr page mentioned in the Author's Notes, so check that out if you're curious. :)**


	5. V

**V**

The next day, after breakfast, Wander and Sylvia decided to relax on the ground like they'd done yesterday. Sylvia, because of her stomach, and Wander, because he wanted to wait for Melody to come back from the morning patrol. The hours passed slowly and peacefully.

"Do you know how long it's been since I've had this much sleep?" Sylvia said with a contented sigh, rolling onto her side. "Usually you're running around, looking at everything."

"I already did that, yesterday afternoon," Wander said.

"Mhm." Wander could feel Sylvia's gaze burning into the back of his head. He could tell she was a little surprised by how patient he was being for once. Eventually, though, she closed her eyes and dozed off again.

Wander perked up as soon as he saw the gate open and a group come through.

"Melody!" He ran to her with light, skipping steps. "How was the forest today?"

She brushed a few strands of hair out of her face, but the strands kept slipping through her fingers and falling back. "It was fine, no sign of Dhraks or other dangers," she said briskly, looking everywhere but at Wander.

The other Wyrls looked at her inquisitively. Wander guessed most of them were young adults.

"Melody…? What's he calling you?" one of them asked. Most of his hair stuck up in short green tufts and he had colorful blue paint on his face and arms.

She blushed. "That's the…uh…name he's given me."

"I didn't know you take nicknames. Can I call you Pink Ninja of Doom and Death?"

She narrowed her eyes. "No."

"How about Sword Swinger Sister?"

"No."

"How about-

"Knock it off, Daryn."

" _You_ knock it off, Ignaz."

Sylvia came up to meet them as they moved further into the fortage. "Nice to see you again, Ryn," she said, nodding at him respectfully as he approached her and stopped.

"Glad to see you as well. How have you enjoyed your stay here so far?"

"Oh, it's been great." Sylvia grinned. "Especially the part where I get to sleep." Her eyes moved to the sword at Ryn's waist. "Do you mind showing me some of your fighting techniques? I love picking up new ones everywhere I go…it keeps me sharp."

"I would be honored to show you," Ryn said in his rhythmic, deep voice.

Sylvia glanced at Wander, who had stood next to Melody as soon as the group had stopped with Ryn. "I know this stuff doesn't interest you buddy…do you mind keeping yourself busy for a while?"

He smiled widely. "Yes…I wanted to show Melody something."

Behind Melody's back Daryn bumped Ignaz on the shoulder. Ignaz bumped him back and before Wander knew it they were scuffling.

"Boys!" Ryn said sharply. He nodded at Melody. "You may go with him."

Melody hesitated, glancing from the leader to Wander. "Yes sir."

Wander grabbed her hand and dragged the startled girl after him as he ran towards the meadow with the opening that let in sunshine.

"Just don't do anything crazy!" Sylvia shouted after them. "Kaz, keep an eye on him for me, will ya?"

"Wander, you can't just grab someone like that!" Melody said, flustered, as he stopped and pulled off his hat.

"Sorry, I've just been waiting to do this all morning," Wander said, pulling a bottle of orbal juice out of the hat. "So, you've never been in an orbal before?"

She stared at the bottle and shook her head.

"Alright, when I say jump, jump." He dipped in a stick and pulled it out. "Jump!"

As soon as she leapt, he leapt with her and swung a giant bubble around them. Melody's knees buckled slightly when her feet landed on its floor.

"What is this thing?"

Wander gave a little bounce. "This is an orbal. It's a way folks in our galaxy travel around sometimes. Usually each person has their own bubble, but since this is your first time in one I say we do it together. Now, walk slowly with me this way." He started walking and the bubble rolled with his feet. Melody suppressed a yelp as she started to slide on the floor and quickly tried walking the same direction. It took a while for them to get in sync, but as soon as their feet were moving at the same pace, the bubble moved smoothly towards the patch in the trees.

"Where are we going?" Melody asked, her body tense. "What if this thing pops?"

"It won't pop unless we bump into a sharp branch, so keep it going straight," Wander said, eyes on the approaching blue hole.

Together they moved the bubble above the trees and into the sky. Melody's legs started wobbling and she stole glances at the ground.

Noticing, Wander stopped and gripped her shoulders gently. "Melody, listen, we're not going to fall." As she forced herself to look at him, and not the ground, Wander smiled brightly. "We're going to be fine. Do you trust me?"

She couldn't look away from the large black pupils locked on hers. "Yes," she said quietly.

"Alrighty then. Let's keep going!"

The bubble rose higher and higher until the land beneath them stretched out like a carpet. Melody took slow breaths and forced herself to relax. It _was_ an incredible sight. Between the multicolored trees, the sparkling rivers, and the large rolling hills in the distance, the scene was beautiful.

"Let's go this way, towards the hills," Wander said. "Stay in rhythm, just start running faster."

As the bubble picked up speed, Melody started to enjoy herself. The adrenaline coursing through her system, along with the glorious blue sky around her and the wonders below, made her laugh out loud. She felt as light and free as a bird, and not just because she was floating in the air. She closed her eyes, not wanting the moment to end.

"Whoa, what's that?"

Melody felt Wander slowing down and slowed with him, re-opening her eyes. They'd passed the hills and reached the land which lay beyond. From below their feet, stretching on into the distance, lay charred, blackened earth and fallen trees. Here and there green things were growing, but most was ash and dust.

"What happened here?" Wander asked, getting on his hands and knees to study the damage.

Melody surveyed the sorry sight grimly. "Dhraks. They're incredibly destructive to our land."

"But…but why would they do such a thing?" Wander looked up at her, confused and upset.

"It's a long story. For thousands of years Dhraks lived below the surface, eating crystals and certain rocks. The rocks gave them some substance, but it was the crystals that they loved the most. The crystals would make them grow, or morph as they liked to say, the more of them they ate. Eventually, though, they started fighting over the crystals and the greediest and fiercest started hoarding them. A leader took over and created a whole class system of Dhraks, where the higher ranking you were, the more crystals you were allowed to eat. Unfortunately, the underfed lower ranks couldn't survive well on rocks and the small diet of crystals they were given, so they started coming to the surface through a dead volcano. They discovered that they could eat the ashes of trees and other plants, so they started burning them. As they spread over the land, they came closer and closer to Fieryon. At first the Tetra trees on our borders kept them at bay, being so hard to burn. But then they discovered they could burn them by hacking into the core of the tree and setting that aflame. Little by little they came closer until they began clashing with our people." Her eyes darkened. "And they're not just destructive – they're dangerous. They have twisted beliefs that have led them to kidnap and kill many of our people."

Wander's eyes moved to her hands, which had balled into fists. "The Wyrls eventually fought them off their borders and now we have this border patrol that prevents them from terrorizing our people any longer."

Wander looked back at the devastated ground, silent for a long moment. "How do you know all this about the Dhraks? Do you talk to any of them?"

Melody frowned. "I used to. A long time ago." She looked away, pressing her lips together.

Wander got to his feet. "If you don't want to talk about it, that's okay." He smiled gently. "Wanna go somewhere else?"

She tensed suddenly and slapped her forehead. "Ugh, I'm such a drog! We shouldn't be here!" She started running the bubble back towards the mountains.

"What's wrong?" Wander asked, following her lead.

She stole glances at the ground. "We're wide open and vulnerable up here – we could get shot down any moment! Many of the Dhraks are very good archers and won't hesitate to shoot if they see us!"

Wander panted as he tried to keep up with her pace, which was fast, even for a Star-born. "Why?"

Her brows lowered. "Why not? They're evil!"

"All of them?"

"All of them!"

"Well, d'ya think they might be able to change? Maybe…maybe all they need is a good friend!"

Melody skidded to a stop and stared at him. Her gaze was so intense that Wander wilted a little, his smile wavering.

She put his hands on his shoulders and moved her face closer, but not in a friendly way. "Wander, don't _ever, ever, EVER_ try to make friends with a Dhrak. Do you understand me loud and clear?"

He nodded unhappily.

She pulled back and released a breath. "Good. If you only knew…" She seemed about to say more, but turned forward and resumed running instead.

Wander ran beside her silently for a few minutes. A smile lit upon his face when an idea surfaced in his head. "How about a song?" he asked, pulling out his banjo. "A good running-so-we-don't-get-shot-at song."

Her mouth twitched. "There's no such thing."

"Well, there is such thing now." Without slowing his pace, he started strumming chords.

"Wander, really? I don't find this necessary in any-

"Oooooh runnin' away, runnin' away, Dhraks never see us 'cause they're just too slow, runnin' away, runnin' away, the blue sky above us and trees and earth below. Runnin' away, oooh runnin' away, oh bubble cause no trouble take us where we need to go. Runnin' away, runnin' awaaaaay…"

XXX

Sylvia munched on a piece of fruit and tried politely to listen to Ryn as he explained their traditions behind sword-making. It was hard for her to focus at the moment, because she was starting to worry about Wander. Lunch was almost over, and he and his new friend still hadn't returned.

A surge of relief went through her as a murmur arose from the numerous Wyrls that were eating on the feasting platform with her. She could soon see Wander and Kaz in an orbal, moving carefully towards the platform. Once it made contact with the wood it popped and the two stood there on the deck, panting.

Sylvia looked at them more closely. Both of them were glowing with happiness, especially Wander. He cheerily greeted the pleased Wyrls around him and trotted over to Sylvia. "Sorry I'm late for lunch," he said, settling down beside her and grabbing a handful of grapes.

Her tail curved lightly around him. "I'm just glad you're back safe, buddy. You had me a little worried." She chewed on her fruit and studied him, a new emotion joining her relief. "What did you call her a while ago? Melody?"

He nodded, finishing the grapes and reaching for a peach. "I gave her a new name."

"Wow." Sylvia looked straight ahead for a few minutes, chewing more thoughtfully now. When Ryn left to bring some more food to the mat for Wander, she spoke up.

"You really like her, don't you."

"Yup."

"Not just like her, but _like_ like her."

"Yup."

"As in, love her."

"Yup."

She finally looked over at him. He was beaming at her, his cheeks bulging with food.

"I can't believe it. You've met so many people, made so many friends, but you've never...fallen in _love_ before."

Wander blushed a soft pink and shoved more food in his mouth. "I know."

Sylvia was quiet for a while. "Wander…just be careful. You know we'll have to leave eventually, and I don't want there to be broken hearts on either side."

Wander studied his food. "Well, maybe she can come with us," he mumbled.

"You know that's very unlikely. She has an important job here, protecting the Wyrl people. Ryn said she's lived here and protected the Wyrls for over fifty years. She's an incredibly valuable member of their troop."

Wander turned a grapefruit over and over in his hands. "I'll figure something out. Maybe I'll even stay."

Sylvia's eyebrows raised. _This kid's serious._ "But you're such a wanderer at heart. You go stir crazy if we stay on a planet for any more than a month, no matter how amazing it is."

"I know." The uncommon but recognizable stubborn look was on his face. "I'll figure something out."

"Alright then," Sylvia said, focusing back on her food. "Just remember, no broken hearts."

"I'll try," Wander said softly.

The wind blew, causing the leaves to whisper around them. The sunspots on the wood glittered as the shadows of the leaves moved with the wind. Warm air caressed their bodies.

 _If only the world could be this peaceful all the time,_ Sylvia thought sleepily, half-listening to Wander chatter with Ryn about the bubble ride. Ryn had told her some disturbing tales about Dhrak attacks, and they were weighing a bit heavily on her mind. _If something happens, I'll just have to be ready._ She briefly clenched her fists and smiled. _Just like I always am._


	6. VI

**VI**

The next morning, Wander and Sylvia relaxed in the same spot they had yesterday. As expected, the morning patrol arrived around the same time they had before.

"Nasaki told us over breakfast that you'd take us to the Lyra Falls place," Sylvia said, approaching with Wander perched happily on her back. "D'ya have time now?"

"I certainly do," Ryn said, smiling. His eyes moved to Wander, who was waving at Melody with a goofy grin on his face. "Kaz can come along as well. She will be an excellent addition just in case we find ourselves in any danger."

"Sounds good to me," Sylvia said.

Wander waved bye to the rest of the Wyrls as they left them at the gate. Then he focused back on Melody, who was motioning to the guard to re-open the gate.

From the moment he'd seen her and the hope that she was of his kind had started growing in his chest, he'd loved her. As each petal opened and he understood her better, he was able to love her more and more. But he could sense that there was a part of her that she refused to open, a place filled with deep pain and anger and fear. He could not truly love all of her until he knew what was there. It troubled him, but he was determined not to worry about it. Melody would open up eventually, he just had to be patient.

"Wander, I think you're staring a bit too much, buddy," Sylvia whispered to him, causing him to snap out of his thoughts. The road had taken them deep into the forest, Ryn leading on their right and Melody following on their left in order to fully cover them. Melody's face was a deep pink and she was staring at the section of the forest away from the pair. He must have been looking at her this entire time while lost in thought.

"Sorry," he said, drawing his knees to his chest and facing forward. "My feet aren't the only part of me that tends to wander."

"Do you hear that?" Ryn asked after a while. "A soft rushing noise?"

Wander strained to listen.

"I can't hear a thing other than birds," Sylvia said, shrugging.

After a minute, though, they could both hear it. Ryn led them out of the forest and down a sloping hill to a large pool of water with a stream flowing out of one end and a waterfall filling it from the other. The waterfall was tall and thin and surrounded by countless boulders of various sizes.

"This is a place our people come to often to relax," Ryn said, surveying the lovely sight. "I like to come here sometimes to practice fighting on the rocks. They challenge my senses of balance and agility."

"That's cool." Sylvia glanced at Wander and Melody. "Hey, uh, Ryn, do you mind having a good spar on the rocks? I'd love to sharpen up a bit."

"If you wish. I will go easy on you, because the rocks can be very dangerous, especially for one unfamiliar with them."

They began walking off together, talking about different fighting strategies.

"Look at that! I think they're becoming good friends," Wander said, beaming at Melody. She smiled back at him. "Well, they're got a lot in common. What I'm curious about is how you and Sylvia became such close friends…from what I've seen you are considerably different from each other."

Wander scratched the back of his neck. "It's a bit intense…I'll tell you a little later."

She blinked at him. "Seriously? How bad could it be?"

Wander shrugged, trying to play it off casually. "Well, you know, when you've been wandering a thousand and ten years sometimes you run into people who…aren't the friendliest. And bad stuff happens." Sadness mingled with the cheerfulness on his face. "But the good in this world is so much better than the bad. That's why I focus on loving folks and trying to see the good in them…because you never know what a little love can do. It got me Sylvia."

A shadow passed across Melody's face and her eyes misted over with a faraway look. He waved a hand tentatively in front of her face. "Melody?"

Her eyes finally focused on his hand. She looked angry now. "Sometimes there's no good to find." She stood with arms crossed, looking out over the water.

Lord Dominator came to Wander's mind suddenly. Dom been right in front of him, so close to giving in, but then she'd turned her back on him and left.

"Maybe you're right," he said softly. "But I'm never going to stop looking for it."

"Just be careful then."

Wander watched her silently. It was nice having deep conversations, and with Melody they seemed to come so effortlessly. But she needed to lighten up and have fun too. He couldn't forget the look on her face when they'd ran in the bubble together. With her eyes closed and a dreamy smile on her face, she'd looked like a carefree child.

He sucked in a breath. "Let's have a swim!" he said, slipping off his socks and shoes, placing his hat under a tree and dashing towards the water. When he surfaced, Melody hadn't moved.

"You can, if you wish. But I don't want to get my clothes wet."

Wander raised an eyebrow. "You're a Star-born. You don't need clothes."

Melody rubbed her arm and looked at the trees. "Well…yeah…but I've worn them for fifty years. Most of the Wyrls haven't even seen me without them. They all wear clothes."

"You're not one of them," Wander said gently.

Her shoulders hunched and she still avoided his eyes. "Fine. But I don't want you watching me."

"Whatever you're comfortable with." Wander turned and swam towards the falls. When he surfaced, he looked for Sylvia and Ryn, but they were nowhere in sight. Instead, he marveled at the waterfall as it cascaded down the rocks. There was something profound about the natural glory of water in motion that thrilled him.

After a minute he dove under the water and resurfaced near Melody. She'd left her neatly folded clothes next to his hat and was in the middle of placing her swords carefully in a niche of rocks very near the water.

"Hey Mel!" Wander said cheerily.

She straightened up, looking uncharacteristically shy. "How's the water? Refreshing?"

Wander blinked. Without her ninja clothes Melody looked soft and vulnerable and adorable. She had the same furry body he had, except with feminine curves and slightly thicker legs, especially around the hips. Her fur was also longer at her torso, making it appear somewhat like a skirt that curved inwards. She'd taken out her hair from its familiar ponytail-bun, which now draped behind her in a wide, loose wave that reached the back of her ankles.

She blushed when he didn't respond. "What?" She folded her arms and assumed an annoyed expression, which only made her look more adorable.

"You're so… _beautiful_ ," Wander said, his eyes wide as saucers.

The blush darkened from pink to red.

"Uh, thanks. Can we swim now?"

Wander gave a happy little giggle. "Sure."

Melody dove gracefully in and started towards the waterfall. "Race ya!"

Wander put up a fight, but Melody's body, toned from years of hard work, was unbeatable. She made it a minute before he did.

"I was close!" Wander protested, laughing.

She shoved him. "Yeah right."

Soon the two of them were splashing each other playfully.

"Hey Wander, havin' fun, buddy?" Sylvia clambered down towards them on the right side of the waterfall. "Ryn and I were practicing up there, now we're going to start on the rocks. If I fall, make sure I don't land on you, okay?"

"Sure! Just be careful, Syl." Wander dove down in the water and enjoyed the coolness rippling through his fur. Lyra Falls was great, just like everything else on this planet.

He surfaced and swam tirelessly forwards, gazing at the gorgeous sky above. There were other planets out here too in this galaxy, just waiting for him to explore them. But he wasn't ready to leave yet. If his time with Melody had to be limited, he was going to make the most of it.

"Where you going?" Melody asked, catching up to him.

"I don't know, anywhere!"

"Can I go with you to "anywhere"?"

"Yup!" Wander swam faster, spinning and diving and somersaulting through the water like an exhilarated seal. Deep down he felt a feeling of longing prick at his heart. _I wish she meant that for real._

Melody stopped to rest and looked back at the waterfall. "Hey, your friend has some serious skills."

Wander turned to see Sylvia and Ryn sparring fiercely on the rocks. Sylvia slipped once but quickly regained her balance and lashed at Ryn with her tail. He dodged just in time and swung the thick branch he was holding at her, but she blocked it with snake-like reflexes. Ryn was relentless with his attacks, but Sylvia held him off. Eventually she punched out at the branch instead of simply blocking, causing it to break with a crack that they heard all the way from where they were.

"That's my Sylvia," Wander said proudly. "I wish she would try to solve more problems peacefully, but I admit she is very capable when it comes to fighting."

"Must be nice to have someone that close to you," Melody said. "Look after her please."

Wander laughed. "I try. But mostly it's her looking out for me. I tend to wander off and get into bits and pieces of trouble."

"I don't doubt that." She smirked. "If your name's Wander, I'm sure it's in your nature. But don't ever wander off here, okay? Out of all the planet's I've visited, this has been one of the most dangerous, with all the Dhraks lurking about. I've met few creatures as evil as they."

"I'll try."

"I mean it, Wander. Don't ever go off by yourself. Can you promise me that?"

Wander hesitated. "I promise I won't go off alone…without permission."

"Good enough."

"Race you to the waterfall again!"

"Really? I just beat you!"

He was already off, swimming with all of his might.

XXX

By the time Sylvia and Ryn returned, ready to leave, Wander and Melody were talking like old friends. When they emerged from the water, Ryn gawked at Melody.

"Are you alright?" Melody asked, fumbling to pick up her swords.

"Pardon me for staring, but you brought me back fifty years." His voice grew soft. "You look just as you did when you came here. Even the look in your eyes is the same."

Melody frowned, blinking hard. "Give me a moment to dress," she choked out, grabbing her clothes and disappearing into the forest.

Ryn watched her go silently.

"Whoa, that was weird," Sylvia said. She wiped some mud off her body and picked up Wander, squeezing him dry. "Did she seem weird to you, pal?"

"I think something happened to her a long time ago," he said quietly, picking up Sylvia's reins once she set him in the saddle. "Ryn, do you know what it was?"

He coughed nervously. "It's not a story we share often with visitors. If Melody wants to tell you, she may. I want it to be her decision."

"Let me guess, something to do with the Dhraks," Sylvia said flatly.

"You are correct."

"Those stupid Dhraks. If I ever see one of 'em, I'm going to punch that sucker so hard he'll see stars for a week," Sylvia growled, pounding a fist into her other hand.

"They are formidable creatures. If you can run or seek shelter, that would be wisest," Ryn said.

Melody came back, looking more composed. "Ready to return?"

"Yes, Kaz." Ryn rested a hand lightly on her shoulder and she patted it with her opposite hand. "I'm alright, Ryn."

"If you say so. Want to lead the way this time?"

"Sure."

With that, the four set off towards the fortage.


	7. VII

**VII**

After the trip to Lyra Falls, the two Star-borns were nearly inseparable. As soon as Melody returned from the morning patrol, Wander would be there to meet her. Sylvia had to admit, she was becoming jealous of how much time Wander spent apart from her to enjoy Melody's company, but she forced herself to be understanding. After all, she would always be by his side, while Melody would soon join the long list of Wander's friends that only saw him occasionally. She could tell the Wyrls throughout the village were talking about the two, but she could never catch any details of what they were saying, which was frustrating. Added to that was the irritation of the swaying trees making her sick. She'd gotten somewhat accustomed to them, but never completely. The only highlights of her days were when she and Ryn would spar on the good old solid ground and talk about the best ways to take out a Dhrak.

Sometimes she'd hang around Wander and Melody, who included her whole-heartedly. Sylvia wasn't sure how to feel about Melody - the girl was a little intense and unpredictable. At least she had a nice smile. Wander sure knew how to bring it out of her.

She had two memorable moments with the pair. The first was when Melody and Wander were talking about being Star-borns. After having a fascinating conversation about what it felt like to be born – she had no idea they could even remember that – Melody spoke about the "star power" Nasaki had briefly mentioned.

"As far as we know, it can only be released through positive emotions," she explained. "Especially the strongest – love."

"You know, that actually kinda makes since." Sylvia said thoughtfully. "Wander can do some crazy stuff when he gets excited."

Wander looked at his hands like he'd never seen them before. "I think you're right…I just never really thought about it."

"It's not always obvious, because, I will admit, it's not easy to use," Melody said. "Especially if you're trying to control it – it works best with impulsive actions. I've spent years trying to master it, but I still have problems to this day."

She slipped outside and grabbed a branch for Wander, placing it in his hands. "Think about something that makes you really happy."

A smile quickly spread across his face.

"Okay, now try to break this."

He strained with all his might, but nothing happened. Sylvia's heart sank.

"Try again in a while," Melody said patiently. "It should work eventually."

"It's okay if I never get it to work," Wander said. " _Sylvia_ handles all the hard work." He grinned at her and she felt warmth spread through her chest. To make the moment even better, Melody had smiled at her too, without any sort of jealousy in her expression.

The other moment had been when Wander was outside, playing on wind-chimes with the Wyrl children gathered around him. They were laughing gleefully at the tunes he was pattering out. Sylvia had been listening as well, enjoying the unusual, entertaining noises that the chimes produced. She spotted Melody hidden in the branch of a tree, watching Wander and the children with a sad smile on her face. She'd recognized the look on the Star-born's face – it was the same face her mom had whenever she talked about Sylvia's father.

 _She's lost someone, I'm sure of it,_ Sylvia thought. _I wonder if I should tell Wander._

She decided not to. She hated making her little friend sad. Hopefully, when they left this planet behind, they could leave all the darkness and bad memories in it as well.

 _Not every planet has problems that can be solved with a little bit of Wander._ She sighed. _I guess not_ _every broken thing is in our power to fix. Some things, we have to leave to a higher power._

One of the children had joined Wander at the wind-chimes and the two were playing together beautifully. Sylvia smiled. _But there's always some good we can do somewhere._

XXX

One evening, just after dinner, Melody told Wander she'd take him to her favorite place to watch the sun set. He'd adjusted to the treetop world well, she noticed, able to follow nimbly as she ran lightly along branches and bridges. Wyrls waved and nodded at them as they passed, children squealing with joy when Wander waved back at them in particular.

Melody led him up one of the tallest trees to an area where a beautifully woven hammock hung with a perfect view of the sunset. She'd placed it there herself less than a year ago.

"Climb in and watch it with me," she said, wasting no time doing so herself. He climbed in after her and leaned back, letting his legs dangle over the edge.

"Just don't rock back and forth or stand up. I wouldn't want this thing tipping over. There's a branch not far beneath, but still."

"I got it." Wander pulled his banjo out of his hat. "Mind if I play some of my favorite campfire songs?"

"Go ahead." She let out a small sigh as her body relaxed, lulled by the lovely sunset, peaceful music, and swinging hammock.

She suspected that Wander would leave soon. He had started to talk more and more about his friends in the other galaxy and about the potential friends he hoped to find in this one. Maybe he'd come back and visit, maybe he wouldn't. Either way, at least this wonderful moment was hers, and hers alone. Even Sylvia, Wander's closest companion, wasn't around this time.

Wander's voice and the plucking strings of the banjo became dulled as her eyelids grew heavier. The sunset, which looked like a peach with its shades of orange and pink, grew fainter as the sun slipped below the hills. By the time there must have been no color left, Melody was already drifting off to sleep.

"Well somebody was plumb tuckered out," she dimly heard Wander say with a laugh. Melody wondered if she should speak up and tell Wander he could leave now. But her lips were too lazy or too unwilling to say the words, so she remained still, hovering on the edge of sleep. It was then that she felt something unexpected - a pressure on her forehead as soft and gentle as the touch of a feather.

A kiss.

Melody froze. She felt Wander curl up next to her, his back pressing against her side. "Goodnight, Melody," he said in a quiet voice that sounded as though it did not expect a reply. "I'm going to miss you a lot."

She lay there, bittersweet emotions rising within her.

 _I'm going to miss you too, dear one._


	8. VIII

**VIII**

It was another warm day, and Sylvia was sprawled out in the sun as usual. Wander was lying against her side, humming softly and tapping his foot restlessly.

Sylvia spoke up after a while. "Hey, Wander, just wonderin'…you and Melody didn't do anything _serious_ last night, did'ya?"

It took Wander almost a full minute to figure out what she was alluding to.

"No."

She scratched at her comb. "Sooo...I'm not going to find some baby Star-borns running around here when we come back?"

Wander made a face. "No, Syl. We're _Star_ -borns…we're not made that way. And even if I could, I'd never do anything that intimate until I was married."

"Good." Sylvia curled her tail and neck around him. "Wander…do you _want_ to get married?"

He rested a hand on her snout and scratched it in the places he knew she liked. "I never thought it would happen, and I was content with that, but with Melody…I feel like maybe it's finally time."

"Would I have to leave?" Sylvia asked, trying not to sound bothered.

"No, Sylvia…as long as you want to be my faithful steed and best friend, I'll let you stay with me. I think Melody would understand."

She swatted at a fly on her back with her tail. "Thanks, buddy. But I've got to warn you, I don't even know if it's going to work out with you and Melody. As I said before, you're a wanderer through and through, and she's got an important job here that I _know_ she's not about to leave. You might have to wait a long time until something happens that allows her to move on from this place."

"I'll wait as long as it takes," Wander said. "Even if it takes another thousand years."

"Then I wish you the best of luck," Sylvia said, opening her eyes for a moment to give him a meaningful look. He responded by hugging her muzzle tightly.

Neither of them said anything else after that.

XXXX

It was almost time for the troop to return. Wander got to his feet and tapped Sylvia on the shoulder. "I'll be right back, Syl - I'm going to go to the wall now. They should be here soon."

"Okay," Sylvia mumbled. "Just don't go too far."

Wander scampered off and ran to a part of the wall not far from the gate. He climbed onto the walkway built into the wall for archers to fire from. The firing holes provided great peepholes into the forest.

It was then, curiously peering through one of these holes, that Wander spied one of the most beautiful flowers he'd ever seen. Its silvery-lavender petals were illuminated by the sunlight streaming onto it, its leaves fancy and delicate looking.

His mouth fell open. _I bet Melody would love that!_ He glanced at Sylvia, who was barely visible in the meadow behind him. _She gave me permission to go, as long as it wasn't too far. And this flower is only a few stone skips away._ He hefted himself onto the top of the wall and eyed the he took a breath and jumped down, holding onto his hat. The hat's brim caught the air and allowed his light body to gently float to the ground.

The flower beckoned.

He gamboled through the forest until he reached the glorious creation. It smelled lovely, like exotic perfume. Carefully he stuck his hands into the soil around the edges of the roots and pulled the plant from the ground before plopping it inside a flower pot his hat had handily provided.

"What a welcoming wonder has been wrought within these wild woods, waiting for me to wander upon it," Wander said, grinning. He cradled the precious cargo in his hands and turned back towards the wall. Suddenly he heard footsteps crackle the leaves behind him and a deep voice speak out.

"I know where more of those are, if you're curious to know."

Wander whirled around to see a creature standing where the flower had been, looming at just over twice his height. Just as the Wyrls had skin that resembled wood, this creature's skin resembled stone. It was gray, with jagged edges, smooth edges, flat edges, cracks, and various other rocky textures on its body. Its form was similar to a Wyrl's, but much stockier and with a small tail. Small crystals poked out of its back and just behind the large formations on his head that looked like misshapen spikes of rock.

Wander knew instantly that it was a Dhrak, and that he should be afraid of it. But everything in him wanted to give it a chance.

"Don't be scared, little fellow," the Dhrak said with a rumbly laugh. "I know I'm tall and scary looking. But not all of us Dhraks are monsters. Most of us are just trying to find a meal. And don't worry, we don't eat living things."

"That's nice to know," Wander said with a nervous little laugh. "My name's Wander. Nice to meet you." He extended his hand bravely.

The Dhrak's hand completely enveloped Wander's when he took it and gave it a firm shake. "I am called Ziron. Nice to meet you as well. I've been interested in talking to you the moment I saw you in a flying bubble with the killing girl."

"Killing girl? Are you talking about Melody? She doesn't kill." Wander hesitated. "At least I don't think she does. Does she?"

"She has slaughtered many of our kind," Ziron said solemnly. "But I have forgiven her, since she tries to do what is best for her people, as do I."

"I have never killed anyone in my life, nor will I ever," Wander said, looking at Ziron with soulful eyes. "I think we should seek to befriend our enemies, not destroy them. In my opinion, an enemy is just a friend you haven't made yet."

Ziron smiled. "I like the way you think, Wander. Can _we_ be friends?"

"Absolutely!" Wander bounced up and down. "Just wait 'til I tell the others that I made friends with a Dhrak! They didn't believe it was possible, but I never gave up hope. I knew there was good in some of you!"

"I have an idea," Ziron said. "Why don't I take you to the meadow not far from here and we pick as many of these flowers as we can and bring them to the Wyrl people? Then they'll see that we've become friends and that I wish for peace with my wood brothers."

"That sounds great, except we shouldn't _pick_ the flowers. I wouldn't want them to die just for our enjoyment," Wander replied. "Why don't we put them in pots? My hat could provide some."

Ziron raised a brow. "Alright then." He offered a hand to Wander and the Star-born took it trustingly.

As the two walked along, Ziron moving at a fairly brisk pace, he asked Wander question after question about himself. Wander told him about his friends, especially Sylvia, his adventures wandering around the galaxy, and what it was like being a Star-born. He was about to tell Ziron about his hat when the Dhrak asked another question.

"What is your favorite part about traveling?"

Wander grinned. "That's easy. Helping other folks. It just makes me all warm and fuzzy inside to know I made someone else happy."

Ziron looked down at him, as he had done occasionally, but this time there was something about his expression that made Wander feel the slightest bit uncomfortable.

"Would you like to help _me,_ Wander?" he asked, his gravelly voice very quiet this time. "There's something I really need your help with. But it's going to be a surprise." His hand tightened ever so slightly on Wander's, but it was enough for the Star-born to notice.

"I love surprises," Wander said, his smile a little forced this time. "So…um…we gettin' to this meadow anytime soon?"

"Well…I've sort of changed my mind about the meadow," Ziron said, not slowing his pace. "I think you might want to meet our Alpha instead. He loves creatures like you."

Wander slowed down until the Dhrak was practically dragging him along. "You know, t-that sounds great, but I reeeeally would need to check with Sylvia first. I promised her I wouldn't go too far away. She's probably really upset right now, looking for me."

"Isn't that a shame." The Dhrak made grating noises that resembled laughter.

Wander frowned and dug in his heels, finally causing the Dhrak to stop. "Ziron, I don't like this. Please let go of me so I can return home."

The Dhrak released his arm and picked him up by the scruff of his neck. "You are too cute. Do you really think I'm going to let you go?"

Hurt washed across Wander's face and he clutched the flowerpot to his chest. "I thought we were friends."

The Dhrak's face twisted cruelly and he opened his mouth to say something, but he was interrupted.

"Hey, rock-head! Drop Wander this instant!"

They both looked over to see Sylvia standing not far away from them, her body positioned aggressively. Wander's heart leapt.

"Don't tell me what to do, beast of burden," Ziron sneered. "He's mine now, so I'd advise you to scurry back to the Wyrls if you value your life."

"Sylvia!" Wander's voice came out as a squeak. "I'm so sorry about wandering off…I-I just saw this flower, and I thought-

"Don't worry about it, Wander," Sylvia said, not moving her eyes from Ziron. "You're not the one who's going to have a backwards face by the time I'm done with them."

Ziron pulled out a small flute-like object from seemingly nowhere and blew on it, hard.

"We'll see about that, beast."

XXXX

Melody stayed behind at the gate as the troop left towards the village. "Wander's usually here by now," she mumbled, playing with a thick strand of her hair. She glanced towards the direction from which he always approached her. There was no sign of life in the trees.

She frowned. _Don't be paranoid. Nothing has happened to him._

As the minutes dragged by, anxiety grew inside of her until it was a big ugly knot inside her chest.

"Waiting for your little friend?" the gate guard asked her. She glanced up at the female Wyrl.

"Yes."

"He shouldn't be long now. Every morning he and his friend come down here and wait for hours until you come back."

Her jaw clenched. Something _must_ be wrong. Her feet carried her up the sloping hill and into the trees. She hadn't gone far when she heard a faint piercing noise among the murmurs of the wind in the trees.

Her heart stopped. _A Dhrak call whistle. It can't be._

She stood there, hands balled into fists, mentally debating whether the noise was real or just her paranoia.

In seconds the katanas were both in her hands. _I can't risk it being real._ She glanced at the gate. "I should find the rest of the troop."

 _Remember what happened last time you did that?_ a small voice inside her mind replied.

"Fine!" she snapped. In just a few swift motions she had climbed over the fence and jumped, rolling as soon as she hit the ground. Her weapons at the ready, she dashed through the forest with the deer-like speed of a Star-born. As she traveled further and further in the direction she had heard the whistle, noises of a scuffle began reaching her ears. Eventually she could make out Wander's voice crying out above the others. By now her heart was pounding like a war drum and her pupils had contracted the way they always did just before a fight.

At last she reached the scene of the scuffle. Sylvia was there, struggling with multiple ropes that had been thrown around her by three Dhrak underlings. Another Dhrak was swinging at her head with a club, attempting to only knock her out, judging by the way he was handling it. Wander was struggling in the grasp of Dhrak standing apart from the rest, screaming "Don't hurt her, please, don't hurt her!"

Instantly one katana was over her head, ready to fly through the air and plunge into the heart of the Dhrak holding Wander. He spotted her and quickly clenched his hand around Wander's neck, causing her to freeze.

"Kaz the killer! How nice to see that you've shown up as well!" The Dhrak smiled icily, the jagged edges of his mouth making the black hole of his throat look like a cave lined with stalactites.

"Let Wander and Sylvia go, _right now,"_ Melody growled, fingers tightening on the katana over her head.

"Not going to happen. I think the beast might be of use to us, if she's as strong as Wander says," the Dhrak said smugly. "And this creature here is a Pure One. Even purer than, perhaps, Ivon. I was young, but I still remember that one. Another one of your friends, I recall." His smile grew eviler.

The hair on the back of Melody's neck stood straight up and she narrowed her eyes into slits. "Drop him. _NOW._ "

"No. _You_ leave, _now._ "

She adjusted her grip on the katana.

"Make one move to throw that and I'll snap his neck."

Wander whimpered and a flowerpot slipped out of his trembling hands.

Melody stood her ground, glaring at the Dhrak with rage-filled eyes. "Do you think I'm a fool? You're going to kill him either way."

The Dhrak hesitated. The other Dhraks looked to him, awaiting his next order.

"Alright…I'll give you back the blue beast if you'll leave us alone."

"No!" Sylvia yelled, fighting with renewed vigor. "I'm not leaving Wander with you sickos!" The Dhrak glanced over at her as she struggled violently.

It was the last mistake he made.

When he turned back to Melody, the katana was already buried in his chest. Before his lifeless body had even hit the ground, Melody had flung herself at the other Dhraks and sliced them down with relentless, deadly strokes of her katanas. As soon as Sylvia had freed herself, she scooped up Wander from where he lay sobbing next to the dead Dhrak and took off running towards the fortage.

Melody finished off the last Dhrak and deflected an arrow that had flown at her from the depths of the forest.

 _There's more of them? Great._

She deflected a second arrow and streaked off after Sylvia, running as fast as her legs could take her. When she reached the Zbornak she leapt onto her back and used the claw contraptions on her feet to grip the saddle firmly.

"Don't stop running," she commanded Sylvia, raising her katanas. "Some of their archers are chasing us; I'm going to protect you from their arrows."

"Thanks, that'd be great," Sylvia panted, holding Wander tightly to her chest. "The fortage shouldn't be too far."

"Don't talk, just run." Melody deflected three arrows with lightning-fast whirls of her weapons. _Keep trying, fools. You can't get arrows past me, and you_ know _it._

Sylvia was an impressively fast runner, so it wasn't long before they'd reached the gate.

"Let us in!" she shouted. "There are Dhraks chasing us!"

Melody heard the creak of the gate opening behind her and a grim smile came to her face. _Not this time, Dhrak-maggots._


	9. IX

**IX**

Melody stood back from the practice dummy, breathing hard. She'd nearly destroyed it this time. The wood was dented and splintered in so many places it hardly resembled a Dhrak underling anymore.

"Kaz, I think you should take a break."

She turned to see Nasaki watching her from the entrance to the practice yard. She hesitated, then returned her katanas to the double sheath on her back. "Alright, Father."

He opened his arms. "Come here, my child."

She moved into his embrace and he lifted her up to his chest as he had done in the earlier days, before she'd become too "dignified" for that sort of thing. She didn't fight him this time, instead resting her head on his shoulder and not speaking.

"Ryn told me what happened," Nasaki said gently. "I'm sure it must've been hard on you, bringing those painful memories back and fearing the same fate for your little friend Wander."

"To be honest, Wander had already begun bringing them back before the Dhrak even said Ivon's name. I've just been trying to ignore it."

"Maybe you should talk to them about it."

"I'll think about it."

"Either way you should visit the two right now. Wander could use a little cheering up, and you know how much he adores you."

Melody gave a little smile. "I know. I'll go see them then."

"That's my daughter."

She slid to the ground and ran towards the rising platform. When she reached the top, she made her way to the herbal's healing room where the two were recovering.

Wander had been given his own mat to rest on, but he was snuggled on Sylvia's neck when she opened the door. There were multiple bandages on Sylvia around the bruises and rope-burns she'd received during the fight.

"Hey, Wander. Hey, Sylvia. Just wanted to see how you were doing," Melody said, standing slightly awkwardly in the doorway.

"Melody! You came!"

"Wander wanted to be sure you hadn't gotten hurt," Sylvia explained. "Thanks for saving our hides out there. I've met some creepy crooks in my days, but I have to say, I think these Dhraks take the cake."

"I cannot disagree." Melody noticed a chair in the corner of the room. "Mind if I sit?"

"Not at all," Sylvia said.

"I'm sorry for the holes I punctured in your saddle," Melody apologized.

Sylvia glanced at her saddle. "Whoa…what did you do to it?"

"I had to keep myself firmly attached, so I used my climbing claws." She gestured to the black contraptions wrapped around her feet.

"She uses them to climb trees," Wander explained. "Since she doesn't have clawed feet like the Wyrls do."

"That's fine," Sylvia said, resting her head on the mat again. "I'm not happy about it, but it's better than turning into a pincushion."

"Kaz, dear, glad to see you!" Ellora, the healer, entered the room. "I'll give you dears privacy."

"Thanks, Ellora," Melody said, standing and opening the door respectfully for the ancient Wyrl as she left. Then she turned back to the pair, clasping her hands behind her back seriously.

"Wander, I must ask you…how did you run into that Dhrak? Did you climb over the wall when Sylvia wasn't looking?"

Without looking her in the face, he pulled a crumpled potted Vylien flower out of his hat, the one she had seen earlier in his hands. He held it out towards her and she came forward to take it.

"You were getting this…for me?"

Silently he nodded.

"Wander, I warned you about wandering off. You promised not to go off alone."

"Without permission. Sylvia said I could if I didn't go too far."

"I didn't mean past the _wall,"_ Sylvia muttered.

Wander wilted and she turned on her side to pull him in for a hug.

"I don't mean to get cross with you, buddy. I get upset about these things because I love you, you know that."

"I thought he wanted to be my friend," Wander said forlornly, leaning into Sylvia. "But then he turned…nasty."

Melody placed the disheveled flower carefully on a shelf and returned to the chair. "I warned you," she said quietly.

Wander didn't reply. Sylvia brushed his hat back and stroked his hair soothingly. Then she rolled over until she was facing Melody. "I have a question, if you don't mind me asking. Who the flarp is Ivon? Did I hear that Dhrak right? He mentioned it when he was saying something about Wander being a "pure one", whatever the creepy malark that means."

Melody sighed and sat down. "I guess I should tell you the whole story. I didn't want to bring it up, because I know it will make you sad, especially Wander. But I'm tired of keeping it to myself.

For three hundred years I wandered the galaxy alone. But that changed the day I met another Star-born, named Ivon, who had been living for over three thousand years. He said I was only the second Star-born he'd met in all of his travels, and was thrilled to meet my acquaintance. Even though he was much older than me, he treated me as an equal and we became fast friends. We decided to travel the galaxy together."

"Sorry to interrupt, but…this Ivon…what did he look like? I'm curious to know," Sylvia spoke up.

"He was a very light blue, even lighter than you, with four wispy strands of a beard, and three thick strands of hair on his head." She smiled sadly and looked away from them, lost in remembrance. "He had this weird thing about socks…he always wore them without shoes. He'd wear them out in about a week or so, so I'd always have a new pair knitted for him by the time they were unusable. He loved designs on them, especially polka dots. He also – he also loved reading books…he was always in search of new ones to read. He was a great storyteller too…I loved listening to him, as did the children on every planet we visited."

"What happened to him?" Sylvia asked softly.

"We travelled together for almost a hundred years. Then we came to Yyleiia, which Ivon loved. He made friends with countless Wyrls and all the children couldn't get enough of his stories. Then the problem started when he befriended three Dhraks. He did so secretly, because he knew the Wyrls would be very unhappy if they found out. Back then, the troop was newly formed, so there wasn't much patrolling in the woods, so Ivon was able to get away with it. He told me about it, since we didn't keep anything from each other, and sometimes I'd come along when he went into the forest to visit his Dhrak friends. I didn't like it very much, and I didn't trust the Dhraks. I especially didn't like their stories about the ways of their people. The worst one was their ritual sacrifices."

Melody crossed her arms and looked away from them, her eyes darkening. "About three times a year they sacrifice unlucky creatures to their god Rhakzar. They believe that the purer the creature is, the more precious of a sacrifice it is, and the more precious of a sacrifice it is, the more fortune and power their god will give them."

Sylvia frowned. "What makes a creature "pure", in their eyes?"

"The more innocent, the more trusting, the kinder, the gentler, the more harmless, the more childlike." Melody gave a short, bitter laugh. "Basically, everything Wander is, and Ivon was."

"Do they go after children, too?" Sylvia asked, grimacing.

"Yes. That's why we have these guard-posts stationed around our country-land, and this village so high up. The people, especially the children, must be protected at all costs."

Wander didn't say a word. He just nestled closer to Sylvia, trembling slightly.

Melody continued with her story. "The Dhraks told Ivon he was the most perfect Pure One they'd ever seen, but assured him they liked him too much to turn him in. And he…he _trusted_ them." Her face twisted with anger and she took a deep breath to calm herself down. "One day, Ivon had gone off to visit them again and was taking forever to return. It was almost dark, and he was always back before then. I went out searching for him, and found him in a cave where he sometimes met with the Dhraks." She closed her eyes and the memory formed in front of her eyes like a shaky reflection on the surface of a pond. "They'd chained one of his legs to a rock and were further back in the cave, talking. I crept up to Ivon and asked him what had happened. He told them his "closest friend", Aleir, had convinced the others that the crystals they would receive as a reward was worth giving Ivon up. They were tired of being underlings, the lowest rank, and their desire to become megas had overcome any love they might have had for Ivon. They were planning on taking him to their Alpha at the dead volcano, where they have their sacrifices."

"What did you do?" Sylvia asked, listening intently.

Her eyes were still closed; she was still _there._ "He took my hands and told me to go get the Wyrl troop to come and rescue him. I didn't want to leave him, but he was so calm and hopeful, reassuring me that everything would be alright. Just as I started to leave the Dhraks rushed at me. One of their daggers got me here." She brushed aside the bangs that always swooped over her left eye, revealing a small scar cutting through her fur. Wander gasped.

"I had no experience fighting at the time, but I've always been very quick, so I was able to escape from them and run to the Wyrls for help. But by the time they came to the cave…Ivon and the Dhraks were gone. I never saw him again."

She took another deep breath and opened her eyes, resulting in tears spilling down her cheeks. "After that, I dedicated the rest of my life to protecting the Wyrl people so that no tragedy like this would ever happen to one of them. And I still honor and remember Ivon." She pulled out the two hairpins she always wore and showed them to Wander and Sylvia.

"These are the needles I used to knit Ivon's socks. I wear them every day."

His own eyes filling with tears, Wander got to his feet and took the needles gently in his hands. The paint on them had nearly been rubbed off and the exposed metal was nicked in several places. Wander's hands closed briefly over the needles – his only connection to Ivon.

"I wish I could've met him," he whispered.

Melody patted him on the shoulder. "He would have loved you. You remind me a lot of him. Except with much more energy. And more banjo playing." She smiled weakly.

Wander gave the needles back to Melody and reached into his hat. "Speaking of banjo playing, do you want me to play something? I think we could all use a little cheering up."

"Go outside and play. Melody will join you in a minute," Sylvia said.

"Can I just-

" _Outside,"_ Sylvia repeated.

"Alright." His hat drooping, Wander exited through the door.

Sylvia sat up and glared at Melody. "Why didn't you tell me about this sooner? My little buddy is practically walking Dhrak-candy and no one warns me? I never would've let him out of my sight!"

Melody squirmed. "I'm sorry, I just…it's a painful memory that I don't like bringing up…and I didn't want to frighten you…and this area is very secure due to the troop so I didn't think it would be a problem. Also I warned him against wandering off alone."

Sylvia huffed and flopped back onto her belly. "Just the same, we're getting off this flabdrassin' planet as soon as I get better." She paused. "I…I'm sorry about your friend, he sounded like a great guy. But I don't want Wander becoming the next Ivon. You of all people should understand that."

Melody slid off the chair. "I'm sorry. I should have said something to _you_ , at least." She stuck the needles back into her hair and left the room in silence.

"Ready for a song? Do you want to sing along this time?" Wander asked hopefully when she came outside.

She looked at him, her heart heavy. "Sure."

A smile broke across his face. "Yes! I've been waiting to hear your lovely voice again."

She followed more slowly as he ran along a branch and sat down near its edge, pulling out his banjo. "Do you want to sing your song? The one about stars?"

She sat next to him, folding her hands in her lap and gazing through the overhead branches at the comforting patches of blue sky. "No. Let's sing one of the Wyrls' songs. How about the one the children taught you…the one about the river and the frog?"

Wander giggled. "I love that one."

She looked him in the face and he smiled encouragingly at her. There was such loving, uplifting warmth in his eyes, that for a moment the pressure eased from her chest.

 _Give me as much sunshine as you can, Wander. I'm going to need it when you're gone._


	10. X

**X**

On the third night after their run in with the Dhraks, Sylvia told Wander that she was fully healed and wanted to leave the next morning.

"We'll come back often, right?" Wander asked, looking her in the eyes with a knitted brow.

She looked away from him, frowning. "I really don't want to, buddy. If these Dhraks see you as some special "Pure One" then I can't risk having them capture you, even if that risk is really small."

"But I have to see Melody again, I have to," Wander said, his voice bordering whininess as he grabbed Sylvia's hands pleadingly.

Sylvia sighed. "Alright, we'll visit _occasionally._ If it means so much to you."

They'd planned on waking up at the regular time, and leaving after breakfast, but at six in the morning, or six notches as the Wyrls would say, they were awakened by a Wyrl.

"What's the big idea?" Sylvia grumbled, rubbing her eyes and studying the Wyrl to see if she could recognize him. She didn't, but as usual Wander did.

"Hey Fenri!"

"Honored guests, you must come with me at once. We are having an emergency meeting for the entire village."

Sylvia narrowed her eyes as a distant clamor met her ears. "Oh my grop. We're under attack, aren't we?"

"I'm afraid so. Come, now."

Wander and Sylvia glanced at each other. Wander hopped on his friend's back and together they followed Fenri up the winding stairs and over several bridges until they reached the gathering building. They entered along with countless Wyrl families and joined the growing group inside. The noises of battle were muffled because of the village's distance from the ground, but occasionally there was a loud roar or crash that would make the children whimper.

After a few minutes Nasaki stood in front of them, dressed in the usual royal robes he wore. These were made of ornate golden-colored cloth.

"Brothers and sisters, we must not panic," he said solemnly, running his eyes over the tense crowd. "We have been under attack for two notches now, but the troop guards have kept them at bay with their excellent fighting and noble determination. We have always stayed prepared for any large attacks, should they ever come, and that watchfulness is now coming to fruit. However, we wanted to bring you together and make you aware of what is going on, so that if we have to evacuate by any chance, you will be prepared. We do not think it will come to this, but this army is more advanced than the usual…they have megas with them."

The crowd gave a collective gasp and murmurs arose. One voice in particular cut through the noise. "Why are they targeting us?"

"You've gotta be kidding me," Sylvia muttered, already suspecting the answer.

"The gate guards reported that they asked to have the Star-born Wander turned over to them. The guards' refusal is what instigated the attack."

The Wyrls around Sylvia and Wander glanced at them unhappily.

"Chief Nasaki, if I might say something," Sylvia ventured. "Why don't Wander and I go ahead and leave your planet in one of our orbals? We were planning on leaving today anyways. Then the Dhraks have no reason to attack anymore."

"They will shoot you down, Sylvia," a voice said flatly from behind. Sylvia turned to see Melody standing there with fur soaked in sweat and messy hair. There was glowing yellow-green fluid staining her katanas and clothes. "Their archers are everywhere."

"Kaz, what news do you bring?" Nasaki asked, coming through the crowd towards her.

She wiped hair from her face. "It's a tough fight, but we're holding it. The megas are giving us hell, though. Ellora just sent me up here to get some more medical supplies, but I really think she wants me to take a break. Thinks I wear myself out fighting so hard."

"Are you sure they'll shoot us down? We're really high up," Sylvia said, crossing her arms and lashing her tail.

"They brought long-bow archers. They really aren't taking no for an answer."

"Those flarpin' jerks. I wish I could give them a piece of it," Sylvia growled.

"Do you want to help us fight? It would be greatly appreciated," Melody said, brightening a little. "Before you do, we should take Wander someplace secure."

Wander spoke up for the first time. "I can't stay here, Melody. I can't let any of your people die because of me."

She patted his shoe. "Wander, my people are fighting for you because they love you. We would all willingly die for your sake, my friend. That is the way of the Border Guard Wyrls…we protect the weak from evil."

"But I don't want anyone to die," Wander said, mouth quivering.

"What secure places do you suggest?" Sylvia spoke up.

"The weapon storage room, the overlook guard room, or the prison cells."

"Prison cells," Sylvia said immediately.

"Alright then…I'll take you to there. Fenri, tell Nasaki I'm taking Wander somewhere safe and private."

He nodded and ran off.

Soon the three reached the highest cell in the thick tree that made up the prison. The room was cool and fairly dark, with a decent-sized barred window on the left side.

"We haven't used the cells in a long while," Melody said, leading them inside. "Crime is very low here, and we don't interrogate Dhraks the way we used to."

"Hey look, there's even a nice little bed right here," Sylvia said, taking Wander from her back and plopping him on a bed that was much too long for him. He sat on its edge, legs dangling, taking in the gloomy surroundings.

"Do you have the key to this room?" Sylvia asked Melody quietly. She nodded, lifting up a rattling keychain. "Just to remind you though, the locks here only work from the outside, since this is a prison."

"That's fine," Sylvia said. "Ready to beat some Dhraks into the ground?"

"Sylvia," Wander said softly. They turned to face him.

"Is this because I went onto Dom's ship without telling you?" He looked at her with big droopy eyes.

Sylvia hesitated, looking at everything but Wander. "No…uh…well…yes."

"Who's Dom?" Melody asked.

Sylvia crossed her arms again. "Just a psychotic galactic overlord who tried to destroy our entire galaxy. And while I'm busy organizing an army to stop her, Wander goes waltzing onto her ship, risking his life trying to befriend her even though she tried to kill us multiple times. I'm not letting anything like that happen again. Your heart is forever in the right place, buddy…but I don't always like where it leads you. Just stay here, where you'll be safe, and let us protect you."

Wander stared down at his clasped hands. "I understand," he said quietly.

Melody was looking at Wander with pity on her face. She walked up to him, took his face gently in her hands, and kissed him on the forehead. "We'll be back. Don't worry about us."

He smiled and hugged her tightly. "I love you, Melody. I love you, Sylvia. Go do what you have to do."

As Sylvia followed Melody out, she looked back at Wander, concerned. "I love you too, pal…" she said slowly.

He met her eyes calmly, his expression unreadable. She stared at him a moment longer and then left the room. As soon as Melody locked it, they headed to the weaponry/armory, where Sylvia took some armor and a club. She would have loved a gun or some gauntlets, but the Wyrls didn't have either.

She asked Melody why the Star-born didn't wear any armor herself.

"My strength is my quickness," she explained. "No one can hit me if I'm too fast to touch."

When they made it to the ground floor, the battle was raging away. Every fighting Wyrl was at the walls, firing arrow after arrow or hurling weapons down below. One part of the wall had actually been broken in, and a bunch of Wyrls with swords and katanas were fighting there. The attacking Dhraks looked like the ones in the forest, except a few Dhraks that were more than twice the size of the others, with an abundance of crystals spiking out of their heads and backs. They had bulky, muscular bodies, longer tails tipped with dozens of spikes, and deadly claws on their fingers and toes.

"What the heck are those?" Sylvia asked, gripping her club tighter. "Megas, I'm guessing?"

Melody had her katanas poised to attack. "Yes. They're a higher class of Dhraks…they're given access to much more crystals."

"They don't scare me," Sylvia said, pounding the club into her other palm. "Anything that comes after my Wander is going to _get it."_

Melody smiled. "I agree. Let's do this."

They rushed to join those at the broken part of the wall, weapons raised. As they joined the Wyrls around them, they were instantly greeted by a rush of Dhraks. Together the two fought tooth and nail to drive back the monsters, spurred on by the thought of protecting the one they loved most in the world.

Sylvia had never fought so hard in all her life. The Dhraks were vicious creatures that fought with raw, blunt force. Sylvia was strong though, very strong, able to meet them square on. Melody dashed around her, taking down one Dhrak after another before they even knew she was there. Whenever an arrow came towards her or Sylvia, she deflected it away. As Sylvia fought mostly in one place, standing her ground, Melody flew around her in a blur of pink death. Sylvia couldn't help but be blown away at what an incredible fighter the girl was. If she hadn't met Melody, she never would have imagined what Star-borns could be capable of fighting-wise.

A mega suddenly descended directly upon her, his mouth a terrifying chasm of blackness. When Sylvia blocked his giant double-edged axe, the force of the blow split her club in two. When he swung the axe again, Sylvia grabbed his wrists and held them away from her with all of her might.

"I'm coming, Syl!" Melody shouted. "Try to get his chest exposed!"

Sylvia glared into the coal-black eyes of the mega, refusing to be intimidated, even as her muscles threatened to give way. She took a step back, hoping he would step forward. When the mega took the bait, she swept her tail at his other foot, causing him to stumble forward. With his weight unbalanced, she was able to flip him over and throw him to the ground. The very next second Melody was on top of him, her katanas buried in his chest. The mega roared in pain and thrashed around, yellow-green goop spurting from the wound. "Ick!" Sylvia cried, scrambling to avoid the goop and moving claws.

As soon as the Dhrak mega had stopped moving, Melody clambered onto it, pulled her katanas from its corpse and leapt to the ground. "Good job, Sylvia," she said, sounding impressed.

"You're not doing a bad job yourself," the Zbornak replied.

They exchanged a smile and kept fighting. It wasn't long before the Dhraks suddenly began retreating, even the megas. A cheer rose up from the Wyrls all along the wall, and Sylvia and Melody joined in. They didn't chase after the Dhraks, instead letting them disappear into the forest until the only Dhraks remaining were the dead ones.

"You aren't badly scraped up, but you'll still need to report to Ellora," Melody said, leading her towards a field where Ellora was tending to multiple wounded Wyrls.

"Three deaths," she said sadly when they approached, gesturing to three covered bodies. "Nyrri, Hyroc, and Seoi."

Melody bowed her head in tribute. "They died with honor. We will be forever grateful to them."

Ellora stroked Melody's hair tenderly. "They will need to be mourned, but we must also rejoice, for but for you brave guards, many more lives could have been lost today. Sylvia, we are grateful as well for your assistance in battle."

Sylvia studied the battlefield through the broken wall section as Ellora bandaged her wounds. "I'm glad they're gone…but it was kind of weird, don't ya think? I mean, one moment they were fighting us with everything they had, and the next they'd completely given up and ran away."

"They aren't creatures to run from a fight very often, I will admit," Melody said, looking at Sylvia closely. "What do you think happened?"

"Well, maybe they-" Sylvia froze. "Oh no. Oh no. Ooooh nooo."

"What?" Melody tensed up, looking ready to whip out her katanas again.

Sylvia didn't say anything. She just took off running towards the rising platform.

When she reached the cell, she didn't even wait for Melody to unlock it – she broke through the door with one powerful kick and rushed inside.

Two things met her eyes at once. A broken bar at the window. And Wander's hat sitting lonely on the bed.

Her heart dropped through her stomach to the floor. "This better be some kind of sick joke, Wander," she choked out, walking to the hat with stiff, unwilling legs. "You better be hiding in there."

There was a note resting on the brim of the hat written in Wander's large, scrawling handwriting.

 _Sylvia – this is yours now._

 _I know you'll take good care of him_

 _Melody – I'll tell Ivon hi for you_

 _~W_

 _P.S. Don't try to rescue me_

 _P.P.S. Sylvia please don't be mad_

 _P.P.P.S. I love you all so much_

 _Bye_


	11. XI

**XI**

Melody stared at the broken bar in the window, cold horror washing through her body. "This is all my fault…" She blinked hard as hot, painful tears flooded into her eyes. "I never should have told him how to use his star-energy."

She could hear Sylvia pacing the floor behind her. "No," Sylvia replied forcefully. "It's not your fault, it's mine. I never should have left him alone. I never should have let this happen. I _knew_ he might try something like this." Her voice broke.

Melody turned to see her twisting the hat's brim in her hands, the tough Zbornak on the verge of tears herself.

"Sylvia, this isn't helping," she said, taking a deep breath. "We need to get the troop assembled and set off after the Dhraks as quickly as possible."

"Good idea," Sylvia said, wiping at her eyes and running a hand roughly down her comb. "Let's go."

They raced down the prison and wasted no time reaching the gathering hall, where most of the Wyrls were still recovering from the fright of the attack.

"Chief Nasaki!" Sylvia shouted, making her way straight to him. "Wander's gone! I think he used an orbal to sneak out of the village and turn himself over to the Dhraks. We've got to go after him _immediately!"_

"Are you sure of this?" Nasaki asked, eyes wide.

"Absolutely. He left a note." Melody handed it to him, reluctant to let go of it.

Nasaki's face grew somber as his eyes began moving over the words. "This is a noble thing the Star-born has done for us," he said upon finishing.

"Yeah, it was nice of him. But now we have to get out there and rescue him!" Sylvia said, tail sweeping from side to side impatiently.

"He does not want to be rescued," Nasaki said slowly, showing them the worded side of the paper to confirm his words.

Sylvia sputtered for a few moments, too shocked to get a word out. "Who flarpin' cares!" she cried at last. "They're going to _kill_ him! Does that not bother you at _all?"_

Wyrls were gathering around them, murmuring in concern. Children started to cry, their parents ushering them out of the building hastily.

A wounded look crossed Nasaki's face. "Of course it does, Sylvia! But Wander gave up his _life_ to keep us all safe, and we will throw away the precious safety he has given us if we go after him. We could barely hold off the army when we had the advantage of the wall…without it we will be much more vulnerable. And if we are destroyed then the whole _village_ will be vulnerable to the Dhraks.

It is Wander's wish to keep us alive and well. We should honor that by letting him go."

"Are you kidding me?! Are you flarpin' fronkin' kidding me?!" Sylvia screamed, her cone standing on edge. "You're going to let him die?!" She looked around at the silent, grim Wyrl guards in the crowd around her. _"All of you?!"_

"It's what he wants, Sylvia," Ignaz spoke up bravely. "Like our chief, I respect the wishes of the Star-born Wander."

"Fine!" Sylvia huffed, blinking rapidly. "Then I'll go after him _alone."_

As she turned to leave, Melody spoke up. "I'm going with her, Father." She stood stiffly as Nasaki grabbed her shoulders and looked her in the eyes desperately.

"Please don't do this, Kaz. They'll be too much for you. You'll _die,_ and none of us wants that."

"I let Ivon die," she said quietly.

"Don't say that…you couldn't even _fight_ then."

"Well, I can fight now. And if there is even a pebble of a chance that my fighting could save Wander, then I'll do it. I can't be angry at you for not coming with us…your life is your own. But I'm not sitting around this time. Not again. I-I can't do it again. I _can't."_ She broke down sobbing and Nasaki fell to his knees, wrapping his arms around her.

"Your heart will heal again, my child," he said. "You will see."

Melody pulled away so she could look him in the eyes. "Not this time, if I'm caught up in wondering whether I could have done something to save him."

She gently backed out of his embrace. "I love you Father, and everyone here. But I must go." She bowed, feeling the eyes of countless Wyrls upon her, many of whom she had watched grow up from infancy. They didn't want her to leave, she knew. But, just as they had let Wander go, they would let her go as well. She only hoped she would be alive to return to them when it was all over.

"Ready to go, Melody?" Sylvia was facing the door again.

She nodded. Sylvia knelt, leaning towards the ground.

"You…you want me to ride you?"

Though her face was still tense from stress, Sylvia smiled at her. "Yes. I would be honored."

Melody lightly climbed into the saddle and sat down. Other than the few claw holes in it, it was very comfortable. "Thank you. Now let's be off."

Sylvia rose and headed straight towards the rising platform. When they reached the ground and exited the gate, Melody ignored the Dhrak bodies around her and studied the forest for any sign of danger. "We'll need to head straight for the Left Soryn caves. There's a mess of tunnels there that lead under the hills and towards the volcano. They most likely went there."

Sylvia ran at a steady pace, though she was weighed down somewhat by her armor and the second club she'd borrowed. When they reached the place Melody had guided her to, Sylvia paused, confused.

"Are you sure this is a cave? It just looks like a big pile of boulders."

"The _maggots,"_ Melody spat. _"Cowards._ All of them flaming _cowards."_

"What?"

"They must've suspected I'd come after them, so they capsized the entrance so I couldn't follow." She rubbed at the scar on her forehead, something she often did unconsciously when she was deeply upset. "We won't be able to cut them off before they reach the volcano. Meaning we will have to _break into_ the volcano to save Wander."

"Is that…hard to do?" Sylvia wiped sweat from her face and tightened the brown band around her comb.

"It's like a giant beehive of Dhraks."

"Oooooh, grop. I am really not looking forward to this," Sylvia groaned. "I'm definitely going to lose a leg before this is all over. Maybe an eye. Maybe that wouldn't be too bad a look on me, actually. Might make creeps think twice before getting near Wander again."

"Sylvia, you're rambling. We need to _move,"_ Melody insisted.

"Sorry, sorry. It just sort of helps with the nerves," Sylvia said, breaking into a swift trot towards the hills. "Do you want us to take an orbal? It will be faster."

"Too exposed. This way will have to do," Melody said, keeping a watchful eye out for Dhraks.

She didn't see any for miles around, even in the scorched land where there were always an occasional few roaming around. They must have joined the army marching to their fortage when it had come.

Melody noticed Wander's hat bouncing against Sylvia's side where it was strapped. Sylvia apparently wasn't interested in wearing it, even though Wander had given it to her. She pulled it out and placed it on her own head. It made her feel close to Wander. The wind rushing against the hat was a little annoying, but the hat was so comforting that she decided against taking it off, instead leaning forward and letting Sylvia's head and neck take the force of the wind.

They had been traveling for several hours when they reached a large patch of forest that was undamaged.

"What's with that?" Sylvia asked. "Some kind of monster living there that even the Dhraks don't wanna face?"

"Yes – if mushrooms can be considered monsters. The Dhraks are highly allergic to them, so it's a good guess that this area is full of them."

It was a relief entering the coolness of the forest after being under the gaze of the sun for so long. Melody decided to strike up a conversation.

"How long has Wander had this hat?"

"Long before I met him. He told me the story of how he found it. Did he tell you it's magic?"

"Yes. He said it gives him things in times of need." She took the hat off. "Come to think of it, right now _is_ a time of need."

"Eh…it's not very reliable. It works best when Wander uses it."

"I'm going to try it anyways," Melody said, reaching a hand inside. Her fingers closed over something hard and metallic. When she pulled it out, she found she was holding some strange metal object with an anchor at the end. Sylvia glanced at it and sighed.

"What's this?"

"A grappling hook. Look, I'll show you - hang on tight."

She took it and pressed something, causing the anchor to fly into the branches of a purple tree and latch onto one. In another second the rope connecting the anchor to the object pulled them into the air until they'd made it onto the branch.

"That's cool, but how will it help us?"

"I have no idea. As usual." Sylvia glanced at the ground. "Oh great, now I'm going to need to orbal us back down." Reaching into the hat, she suddenly paused. "What's that smoke trail?"

Melody squinted through openings in the branches. Not too far away an unsteady plume of smoke was rising into the sky. "Probably some Dhraks burning plants for food."

"What if it is the Dhrak army?"

"I don't think so…I'm pretty sure they'll stay in the cave systems all the way back."

"Still…we should check just in case."

Melody agreed and the two of them set off cautiously towards the direction they had seen the smoke. As the forest became less thick, they were able to make out the smoke more and more. When they were nearly upon it, there was still no sign of any Dhraks.

"It can't be the whole army," Melody sighed. "Let's get going again."

"Wait." Distant shouting met their ears. "That voice…" Sylvia frowned. "I feel like I've heard it before." She walked slowly forward, trying not to make any noise. The shouting gradually became louder until Melody could make out sentences.

"You stupid pathetic excuse of a ship. I knew I should have incinerated that seedy dealer when I had the chance. You couldn't handle one wormhole. ONE wormhole! If I didn't still need you I'd grind your whole metal hull into a pile of dust so small you'd need a magnifying glass to see it. You know what? I'm going to find that dealer, and do that to _him!"_

Melody could now see the ship this person was talking about. It was scorched, smashed partially covered in ice, and smoking in multiple places. A light green female of unknown species, looking to be about Sylvia's height, was kicking it and screaming at it. Melody would have felt bad for the girl if she wasn't threatening to brutally murder someone at the moment.

Sylvia jerked backwards as though she had been slapped in the face and dashed behind a tree-trunk. "Oh no, this isn't good. We've got to get out of here."

Melody fought the temptation to peak around the tree at the girl again. "Why?"

"Well…heh…remember that psychotic galactic overlord I was talking about earlier? The one who kept trying to kill us? Yeeeeah…that's the one."

"Seriously? How long have you dorks been spying on me?"

Sylvia and Melody froze and looked over at the girl, who was standing two feet away and staring at them with hands on her hips.

"We haven't been spying on you," Sylvia said flatly. Melody felt the Zbornak's muscles tense, preparing to launch them into a run.

"Yeah, as if we just _happened_ to find each other – _whoa,_ Wander, someone got quite the makeover. You goin' through some punk ninja phase? I like it, I like it."

"I'm not Wander," Melody snapped. "I'm Melody, a female of his kind."

Her eyebrows shot up. "Wow, Sylvia. What happened to _best friends?_ You dump Wander like a sack of rocks for some hot ninja chick? I didn't think you had that in you, to be honest."

Sylvia's hands balled into fists and her comb rose threateningly. "I did not _dump_ Wander. He was captured by some stupid rock creatures that want to sacrifice him to their stupid god in some stupid volcano because he was _stupid_ enough to turn himself over to them. So I don't have time to stand here and deal with your crap right now, I have a _best friend_ to save. Either roast me with your stupid fire powers or get. Out. Of. My. Way."

She gaped at Sylvia for a moment before a curious smile curved across her face.

"These rock creatures…what are they like?"

"Why do you want to know?" Sylvia asked suspiciously.

"Because…if there's going to be a fight…I might want to be a part of it." She smiled wistfully. "Do you know how long it's been since I've had a _real_ challenge? I almost had one coming with that giant robot you guys found, until you _idiots_ blew it up."

"The Dhraks in the volcano will be very challenging, with all their numbers," Melody said. "Especially since there will be lots of megas there. We may even have to face the Alpha."

"How big is this Alpha?" she asked, shoulders hunching with excitement.

"Enough, Melody," Sylvia said. "Dominator's not taking this seriously. Besides, she's not trustworthy. She's already tried to kill me and Wander multiple times, as I've said before."

"But…I didn't kill him last time I had the chance," Dominator said, looking away from Sylvia as she spoke the words.

Sylvia frowned.

"We need all the help we can get, Sylvia," Melody said quietly. "We don't have much else to lose. You _know_ we can't break into that volcano alone."

"Alright, I guess you can help us," Sylvia said reluctantly. "But Melody's the leader here, not you. She knows the Dhraks better than either of us."

"Fine," Dominator said. "As long as I get to fight." She started walking back to her crashed ship.

"Where are you going?" Sylvia asked.

"To get you a better weapon than that pathetic club. Also, to get us some decent transportation."

She emerged carrying a large, complicated-looking contraption and two oblong colorful objects. She tossed the contraption to Sylvia, who clutched it to her chest.

"Finally, a flarpin' ray gun!" the Zbornak said happily. "Y'know, I'm starting to think you're not half bad."

"Oh, I'm still bad alright," Dom said, pressing something on one of the objects which caused it to mysteriously float. She stepped onto it, grinning. Two straps immediately closed over her boots. "I'm just over the whole destroying galaxies thing. It got…boring."

"If you say so," Sylvia said, scrutinizing the floating object. "Is that a hover-board?"

"Yup. The other one's all yours. Think you can handle it?"

"Where'd you get it?" She carefully stepped onto it and searched for a way to activate it.

"I made it," Dom said smugly. "I make almost everything I use. Except for this stupid ship. It looked pretty sweet, and I was going to add some awesome upgrades, but then it decided to be an epic failure."

"You _made_ these?" Melody asked, gawking at the hover-boards. The one Dom was on had fire designs, while Sylvia's had ice designs. "How do they work…magic?"

Dom eyed the katanas on her back. "I'm guessing your planet is behind in the technological curve."

"This _is_ a whole 'nother galaxy," Sylvia spoke up. "They're probably no more advanced than others around them."

"Well, let's hope these Dhraks don't need technology to put up a good fight," Dom said, cracking her fingers expectantly.

"How high are we going to fly on these things?" Melody asked. "We will be easy targets for their arrows."

Dom smirked and pressed another button, causing a see-through purple shield to form completely around her. "I'd like to see their dumb little arrows pierce _this."_

Sylvia finally activated the hover-board and Melody almost fell off her back as the Zbornak swayed, trying to keep the board steady.

Dom watched Sylvia struggle with it, her fingers twitching impatiently. As Melody waited as well, she studied Dom's interesting clothing. The girl was dressed in a long, tunic-like shirt that clung to her body, showing off her shapely form. Her leggings had diagonal bold yellow and black stripes on them, and her black boots reaching her knees had spikes on the soles. Her shirt had off-the-shoulder, red and orange shear sleeves that matched the shear fabric covering a wide slit in the bottom right side of her shirt. The shirt itself was jet black, with the design of a dripping red heart on it, an orange streak curved on one side.

Dom noticed Melody watching her. "You want a better weapon too, ninja girl?" she asked.

"I always use my katanas. I've trained with them for fifty years."

"Wow. Okay." She grinned. "I can't wait to see the damage you can do with those things."

"Don't worry," Melody said darkly. "You will."

Once Sylvia was confident she could control the board, and Dom had retrieved a few supplies from the ship, they set off above the trees, flying at a steady pace.

"So, where is this volcano?" Dom asked.

"I don't know the exact location. But it is somewhere to the northwest," Melody said, fidgeting in the saddle. Even though she trusted the shield to protect her, she still felt exposed so high in the air.

"This better not take forever," Dom said. "I mean, I don't have anything else planned for the day, but even flying can be a drag after awhile."

Unfortunately, Melody had more trouble finding the volcano than she'd originally thought. When the sun set and it became difficult to see, they decided to rest inside one of the many caves in the area. Once they'd eaten and sleepiness began to weigh down their bodies, Sylvia had Dominator seal off the exit with dried lava to protect them from Dhraks. They'd become more and more common the deeper they'd gone into the Dhraks' territory.

"Well this is stupid," Dom grumbled, snapping sticks in half and throwing them into the fire she'd made with salvaged wood. "Are you sure this volcano even exists?"

"I am sure of it," Melody said, enjoying the warmth of the flames. "The Dhraks I once knew talked about it often."

"The Dhraks you once knew?"

She sighed. "It's a long story. You won't want to hear about it."

Dominator pulled more food out of the supplies she'd brought and munched on it, focusing her large pinkish-red eyes on the weary Star-born sitting across from her. "I've got time to listen. And you're a fekking ninja, you've gotta have some good stories."

Melody hesitated, wondering if she should even consider opening up to a girl that had once tried to kill Wander. But there was something almost child-like in Dom's eyes as she sat there chewing expectantly that made Melody feel as though she could trust her. It was worth a shot, anyways.

When she was done telling Dom everything she had told Sylvia and Wander just days before, Dom put down her food and took a long swig of water. Melody wasn't sure whether she felt relieved or upset to see her listener so calm.

"So, you were friends with this guy for a hundred years?"

"Yes."

"Wow…that is a fekking long time. I've only had one friend, and that lasted about fifteen minutes."

The half-charred branch that Melody was about to add to the fire stopped as she stared at Dom in surprise. "I…I'm sorry about that," she said softly.

Dom blushed and quickly reached through the fire, grabbing the stick from her and throwing it into the flames.

"No big deal. It's not like I want or need friends anyway. I don't know why I'm even bothering to talk to someone as boring as you."

She turned away from Melody and lay down, using one of her supply packs as a pillow.

Melody watched her for a moment, wondering why Dom had become so cold all of a sudden. _I think opening up to her caused her to open up as well, and she didn't like that._

Her eyelids were growing heavy now. _I wish I had something to use as a pillow. This ground is so hard._ She crawled over to Sylvia, who looked soundly asleep, and lay with her head leaning against the Zbornak's back. She'd seen Wander rest on and against his friend multiple times, so she hoped it would be alright for her to do so just for one night.

The end of Sylvia's tail suddenly wrapped around her waist and gently lifted her onto Sylvia's back, where the soft saddle worked surprisingly well as pillow.

"Thanks Sylvia," Melody murmured. She took out the needle hair pins and hairband, letting her long hair spread over her like a blanket.

It was still hard to get to sleep; nearly every muscle in her body was tense from anxiety. Soon Dominator started muttering in her sleep about blasting someone with something called rocket launchers, which didn't help. Finally, Melody took Wander's hat and lay on her side, cuddling it in her arms. Within minutes she fell asleep.


	12. XII

**XII**

As soon as Dominator awoke, her nerves started tingling with anticipation. It was going to be a good fight. She could just tell.

She melted through some of the lava wall, letting in light, and glanced at the others. They were sleeping together soundly, their weapons not far away from them.

 _They actually trust me,_ Dom remembered, a weird feeling in her stomach. _Well, okay, I think it's one part trust and three parts desperation._ She looked back at the opening. _I'll go ahead and let those dweebs sleep. It's time to find this volcano, Dom-style._

After running a brush quickly through her hair and using a mirror to make sure the black drops below her eyes weren't smeared, she hopped on her hover-board, maneuvering skillfully through the hole she'd broken in the wall and out into the full sunlight. "Grop, this place really is a mess," she remarked, gliding over the scorched landscape spiked with skeletons of trees and covered in black rubble. "I'm kind of impressed."

Because of the lack of trees, it was easy to spot the two Dhraks from a distance. They were moving slowly, digging chunks of charcoal out of the rubble and eating them in one gulp. They didn't look much taller than her.

 _These must be the underling kind that Melody spoke about last night._ She grinned wickedly. _Time to have a little fun._

She landed, making sure they hadn't spotted her, and hid her hover-board in a pile of rubble where it would not be seen, marking the spot with a small pool of lava. Then she sauntered towards the Dhraks until they caught sight of her.

"Oh, hello there," she said, batting her lashes coyly. "I've been traveling around the galaxy lately searching for new and interesting _friends."_ She clasped her hands behind her back, hunched her shoulders, and cocked her head to one side to achieve the innocent look she was going for. "Do either of you want to be my friend?" She gave a wide smile that would have sent anyone that knew her running for their lives.

The Dhraks looked at her, then each other, then back at her. Their mouths broke into uneven, creepy smiles.

"That's not a bad idea. You look like someone worth getting to know." The Dhrak next to the one who had spoken snorted with laughter and was promptly slapped by the other.

"We were just heading to our home…to have breakfast. Would you like to come with us and tell more about yourself?"

"That sounds wonderful!" She walked between them, forcing her body to stay relaxed to keep up the charade. "My name's Dom. I love puppies, and sunsets, and smoothies, and hanging out at the beach. My favorite hobby is star-gazing, it's just sooo amazing." As she rambled on, secretly smothering the giggles building up inside of her, the Dhraks grew more and more unguarded. Occasionally they'd glance at her and nod or smile but mostly they kept their eyes on their surroundings, smug looks on their faces.

"I also…uh…really like skateboarding, and I've tried a bit of surfing, though I think I'm not very good at it. And board-games…those are cool too. But you know what's really neat on a rainy Saturday? A nice demonic blood sacrifice. Mm, yeah, that hits the spot."

The Dhraks took a moment to react. They stared at Dom, who kept walking with a bright smile on her face and watching them out of the corners of her eyes.

"You know, speaking of that, I heard some Dhraks are having one soon…today, possibly? Do you know where I could find them? I'd love to go."

The Dhraks finally stopped, looking very defensive now. They hadn't even told her they were called Dhraks.

" _Who_ are you?" the smarter one hissed.

With the swiftness of a striking snake Dom's lava hands engulfed them, lifting their writhing bodies into the air. As they struggled violently, she stood calmly before them.

"I asked you a question." Venom leaked into the last word.

"Let go of me, _maggot,"_ the smarter one said. Apparently he wasn't so smart after all.

The lava surrounding him turned white as she sent an intense wave of heat through it, causing him to scream in pain.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Dom asked, tilting her ear in his direction. "Do you mind repeating it?"

The other Dhrak stopped struggling and gaped in horror at the puddle on the ground that had once been his friend.

"I'll tell you everything you need to know, just please don't melt me!" he begged.

Dom smiled. "That's very kind of you, sir! I just need to know where the volcano is and the time of the sacrifice. That would be great." She batted her eyelashes again.

"The volcano i-is about two miles away, once you reach the B-black Ridge mountains. Just head that way-" he jerked his head in the direction "-and y-you'll find it. You'll pass a river before you reach it."

"And…?"

"The sacrifice of the Star-born i-is when the sun stands at the highest point in the sky."

"And this Star-born is orange, right?"

"I-I don't know. I just know they brought him to the volcano last night."

"And where exactly will this sacrifice be?"

"In the center…b-below the opening."

"Thank you, that has been very helpful." The phony sweetness disappeared from her voice. "If you're lying, I will return and melt you down _limb by limb._ Understood?"

The Dhrak cringed as she lowered him to the ground and encased him in more layers of the unlethal-temp lava that she regularly used. As soon as she stopped feeding the lava it hardened into a black mass, trapping him.

"What are you doing? You're going to leave me here?" he whined as Dom surrounded the mass with a wide river of lava, making sure the spot would be conspicuous from the air.

"Just be glad I haven't killed you…yet."

With a maniacal laugh Dom walked away from the protesting Dhrak, retrieved her hover-board, and soared back to the cave.

When she returned, she caught snippets of a conversation, Sylvia speaking first.

"What else could she be doing? She's probably at the volcano right now, telling the Dhraks where we are. I say we get out of here as fast as possible and never stop moving."

"I don't think she would do that," Melody replied quietly. "Besides, she left her supplies with us."

"Chill, losers, I'm not going to betray you," Dom said, gliding into the cave and landing gracefully. "Yet." She laughed.

Sylvia didn't look amused. "Where have you been?"

"Looking for the volcano. Didn't find anything so far." She'd decided not to tell them what she really knew – they'd go racing off immediately to the volcano and start running around pell-mell trying to find wherever Wander was being held. Better to wait for the perfect moment…she would just have to stall them for a few hours. She could pull that off, she was sure.

After they finished breakfast, Sylvia and Melody picked up their weapons and the ninja climbed onto Sylvia's back. Dom smashed the rest of the wall down and they flew to the entrance.

"Ready to go, Dominator?" Melody asked, pulling her hair up into the ponytail-bun she'd worn yesterday.

"Heck yeah," Dom said. A giant flaming sword materialized in her hands and she brandished it. "I've crashed sooo many parties, but I've never crashed a demonic ritual blood sacrifice before. This is so exciting!"

She looked over at Sylvia and Melody, who were glaring at her.

 _They think I don't care one fek about Wander. If only they knew how much the thought of him has tormented me these past months._

"Come on, get a _little_ excited!"

The death glares continued.

"Alright, fine. Let's just go," Dom said, frowning resignedly.

"Remind me why we brought her along?" Sylvia asked in a flat voice.

"Come on, Sylvia. She's the best chance we've got at saving Wander," Melody said, patting her neck lightly. "Let's make the best of it."

Sylvia sighed. "Alright. Let's just find this flarpin' volcano as fast as we can. We don't know how much time we have left. They've probably reached the volcano by now."

"Then let's not waste any time," Dom said, activating her purple shield. She leaned the board forward, causing it to shoot through the air smoothly.

 _Okay, that was a lie. But they'll never have to know._ She wondered where Wander was at the moment. Maybe he was already in the center, maybe he wasn't.

 _Just hang on, little hippy. I'll be there when you need me._ Her eyes narrowed. _I promise._

XXX

If he craned his head to look upwards, he could see a small circle of blue – a hole in the top of the volcano. The huge, spacious cavern around him was gloomy, but it was pierced by a large beam of light reflecting off of a large white crystal onto him. The roughly circular surroundings of the volcano had carved rock ledges, pathways, crystals, and entrances to countless branches of caves. A section of rock directly in front of him had been hollowed out into a large space that was currently filled with a crowd of Dhraks. Others were on ledges and pathways lined the roughly circular wall curving around the center of the volcano, which was a deep pit of blackness. Some of them had bows, some clubs, and some were unarmed. They varied in size; some were smaller than Ziron, while others were larger than the ones he had surrendered to. The yellow-green crystals on their heads and backs cast an eerie glow on the areas around them. None of them were moving around much – they seemed to be waiting for something.

Wander was on a small platform of rock directly over the pit, four rock bridges on each side keeping it from plummeting into the blackness below. In the middle of the platform was a rounded, tall stone pillar with intentionally placed cracks that revealed red crystal underneath, forming runes. It was this that he had been chained to.

The presence of evil here was almost overpowering. Wander closed his eyes and sighed, his hair drooping over his face.

 _I miss my hat._ A lump formed in his throat. _I miss everybody._

They must be so worried about him. And maybe angry too. But he'd made the right choice…and not a bone in his body regretted it.

After some time had passed another beam of light shone on him from a different crystal. This repeated itself until five different beams were shining onto him from multiple directions. He concluded that as the sun climbed into the sky, it cast more light into the volcano, creating more beams.

 _That's clever how they placed those crystals exactly right. I just wish they'd use them for different things…like ceremonies, or performances, or parties._ A realization struck his gut. _I'll never get to throw that surprise party for Hater. I might never even see him again._ Tears rose into his eyes, so he quickly tried to think about something else. Usually just the thought of one or two wonderful things, like balloons and kittens, cheered him up right away. But this time, they only made him sadder. None of those wonderful things were here. There were only unfriendly faces and weapons and shadows and…eventually…death.

Melody's song came to mind, bringing a weak smile to his face. His mouth was dry and his throat ached from thirst – they hadn't given him anything to drink – but he decided to sing anyways.

"Wherever you are, I hope that the stars, shine as brightly for you, as they do for me. Wherever you are, I hope that the wind, blows a sweet melody, as it does for me…"

He was halfway through the song when he realized the murmurs of the Dhraks had died down almost completely - they were listening to him. Hope blossomed in his chest and he sung more strongly. His voice echoed off the stone walls, filling the dark place with rare touch of tenderness.

He faltered on the last note as a loud thudding noise echoed throughout the volcano. A Dhrak was coming up from the depths, and it sounded _heavy._ Eventually he could see it on a ledge heading to the area in front of him, other Dhraks moving back quickly to give it room.

"That must be the Alpha," he murmured.

The creature was massive, more than twice the size of the largest Dhrak Wander had seen so far. He had four legs as thick and strong as tree-trunks, a long tail with a giant club of spikes at the end, two arms with long sharp claws and black ridges on the backs of his legs and arms. Unlike the other Dhraks, he had a prominent muzzle with a jagged jaw of teeth. The most noticeable part about him, however, were the huge crystals protruding from his shoulders and back. When he spoke, his voice sounded like rumbling thunder.

"Bring me the axe."

A large Dhrak came through the crowd carrying the largest double-bladed axe Wander had ever seen in all his travels. Its blade appeared to be made of the same vibrant red crystal as the kind in the rune stone.

The Dhrak took the axe handle carefully with two hands. When he released it with one hand and swung the weapon upright it glinted in the light. He took a few steps towards Wander, making the stony ground the Star-born was sitting on shake beneath him. His heart beat faster in his chest.

As he waited, trembling, a vivid flashback gripped him suddenly. Crystal lighting, stone walls, unfriendly faces, and then – the pain. The terrible, white-hot pain that had brought him to the brink of death.

He pulled himself away from the memories, fresh tears springing to his eyes. This time was different. This time, he had chosen to die, for the sake of those he loved. This time, he could feel at peace.

When he opened his eyes he realized the Alpha was still standing at the entrance to the bridge in front of him, as though the creature was waiting for something. Wander didn't like looking at him, so he craned his head back to look at the comforting blue sky again. This time, however, a ray of light stung his eyes. He realized the sun was starting to move directly overhead. It must be lunch-time.

His stomach growled. _Don't think about food, don't think about food._

He became slowly aware that the lights shining on him were fading, while the red crystal in the rune-stone was gradually glowing with more and more intensity. The light of the sun must somehow be shining into it.

Once it was so bright, even the volcano walls were tinted blood-red, the Alpha stepped onto the bridge and came closer and closer. He spoke again in his terrifying voice.

"Wander the Star-born. Innocent enough to befriend a Dhrak, selfless enough to die for Wyrls. A most worthy sacrifice. Our god will be pleased."

Wander forced himself to lift his head and looked into the black, heartless eyes.

"The God I know would never be pleased by this."

He laughed, a harsh grating sound that made Wander wince. "Your god is _weak._ Our god gives us power and riches. What has yours ever given you?"

Wander stared steadily into the Alpha's eyes. "The strength to come here." He gave a tiny triumphant smile.

The Alpha laughed again. "You Pure Ones are so adorable. Pity that it only makes us desire your deaths even more." He raised the great axe and Wander closed his eyes tightly.

"Rhakzar, give us favor."

A loud thump rang through the cavern as Wander felt something land on the top of the rune-stone. Moments later a deep voice, almost as low as the Alpha's, came from above him.

"I shall indeed give you favor, my Dhraks, for you have chosen wisely this time… _very wisely."_


	13. XIII

**XIII**

Wander looked up and caught sight of the creature who had spoken. It had a tall, bulky black body with the shiny, rippled, wild texture of obsidian. Its head and shoulders were covered in sharp spikes, and its narrow eyes glowed the same blood red as the rune-stone.

"Rhakzar! Is…is that you?" The Alpha actually seemed taken aback.

"Yes, Alpha. I know I don't show myself very often, but today I wanted to do something I have never done before." The voice grew softer, but not any less intimidating. "So here I am."

"We are honored you have come in person," the Alpha said, crossing his chest with a fisted right arm and bowing slightly. "Especially since we have such a special sacrifice for you this time."

"A special one indeed." The creature gave a strange laugh that made Wander's spine tingle.

"Then reward us greatly for this." The Alpha lifted the axe again.

"Oh, I will."

Wander shut his eyes and trembled.

The next instant he heard the sound of the blow, but felt nothing.

 _Am I…dead?_

The Alpha gave a roar of rage and Wander opened his eyes with a start. Rhakzar was in front of him, blocking the deadly axe with a flaming sword. With a sudden, forceful shove of his sword the axe flew out of the startled Alpha's hands and tumbled end over end into a crowd of Dhraks who scrambled out of its way. The sword morphed into a giant hammer and Rhakzar swung it at the Alpha with all of his might, slamming him backwards until he crashed into the crowd, causing the entire center platform to shake. Wander gasped.

Rhakzar turned around and the obsidian over his face suddenly melted away, revealing familiar round, pink-red eyes.

"Dominator! What are you doing here?"

She flashed him a smug smile. "Saving your butt. I thought it's the least I could do, after…ya know. And, don't forget, I love a good challenge."

"You're not Rhakzar!" the Alpha thundered, lurching to his feet. "You're not even a god, are you?"

Arrows bristled everywhere from Dhrak archers, ready to shoot if given the word, and the others had clubs and axes in hand.

Dominator straightened her shoulders. When she spoke, her eyes were still resting on Wander.

"I thought I was a god… _once._ I thought all my power, all my accomplishments, earned me that title. I could do anything I wanted - build an empire or bring it to its knees. But then one day, within the weakest, most pathetic creature I'd ever met, I found something stronger than anything I'd ever possessed. I took everything from him, everything he'd ever loved, and brought it to the brink of destruction - and in return he saved my life."

She gave Wander another smile, this one filled with rare tenderness. As she went back to talking he held back a squeal of joy, instead shaking so hard that his chains rattled.

"I've never met anyone with the power to forgive in the way that he could. I don't know if I ever will again. So if anyone here is a god-" Dom turned to face the Alpha, pointing a finger back at Wander, "- _he_ is."

The hammer in her other hand melted away and balls of fire appeared in both of her hands. Crevices streaming lava opened up all over the obsidian armor covering her entire body.

"But don't worry. I don't need to be a god to reward you for your troubles by _pounding you into the ground."_ She thrust her hands forward, sending a wave of fire onto the Alpha and those around him. They all roared with pain, including the Alpha, but he bravely charged towards her, wielding his regained axe. The Dhrak archers began firing fiercely at Dom, but the arrow bounced off without causing so much as a scratch.

"Alright, girls," Dom said loudly, "Time to kick some asteroids!"

Two figures swooped down from above on what appeared to be hover-boards. "Melody! Sylvia!" Wander waved, feeling both happy and upset that they were here.

They didn't seem to hear him, instead plowing straight into the Dhraks from either side and knocking them from ledges into the blackness below or taking them down with their swords and guns.

"No, wait, please don't kill them!" Wander begged, looking from one ferociously fighting female to the next. "There's got to be a better way to do this!"

Dom was now going head to head with the Alpha on the area just in front of the main bridge, using her sword against his axe. As the fight wore on it became obvious that the Alpha had the upper hand. Dominator had as much raw power as him, but not as much weight, so her swings and blocks weren't as effective. She changed tactics, redirecting the swing of the axe when it came towards her instead of blocking it directly. She also used her smaller size to dart around the much less agile body of the Dhrak to attack his flanks. Every time the sword pierced the Alpha's hide he roared in pain and yellow-green blood flowed, but other than angering him the wounds didn't seem to have much of an effect. The Dhraks around them tried to help the Alpha, ran for protection, or scrambled to fight Sylvia and Melody.

Wander watched all of this with sweat pouring down his face. At first he'd made cries of protest, but when his friends did not respond he'd given up. He had to admit, he was thrilled to see _them_ again, but not the violent battle they were engaged in.

With each landed strike of her sword the grin on Dominator's face grew wider. Her eyes were large and her pupils tiny, a good sign that the psychotic side of her had taken over. She kept up her relentless attacks until she finally ripped the axe from the Alpha's hands for the second time. This time it went spinning into the pit and landed somewhere in the darkness with a loud clatter.

The Alpha gave a terrifying scream of rage and launched himself at Dominator, knocking her backwards with a vicious swipe of one clawed hand. She flew past the bridge on Wander's right and nearly fell into the chasm, but she recovered and grabbed the bridge, pulling herself onto it.

Wander sucked in a breath. There were four deep scratches in the obsidian armor on Dom's chest. She stared at them as well.

"Impressive." Her pupils shrank even more and her grin grew even larger. With a ragged cry she hurled herself at the Alpha, one arm transforming into a giant scythe. Together they fought like wildcats, swiping and tearing at each other, Dom a blur of black and glowing orange and the Alpha a blur of gray and glowing yellow.

The rocks beneath Wander were shaking and the noise echoing around the cavern hurt his ears. He tried to cover his ears but the chains on his arms were too tight. He closed his eyes instead and tried to think of something comforting.

An unusually loud crash made him open his eyes. The Alpha was down on his side, writhing as Dom trapped him in lava. Dhraks were desperately trying to stop her but she kicked them away and sprayed an ice wall in a semi-circle around her and the Alpha to keep them away. Arrows still flew at her from above, but not as thickly as before. Melody and Sylvia were steadily taking the archers out.

A giant lava axe materialized and hardened in Dom's hands and she brandished it threateningly. Without warning the Alpha opened his mouth wide and released a liquid-gas blast of a white-green substance onto his attacker. Dom recoiled and quickly rolled to the side. The Alpha moved his head but he couldn't angle it far enough to reach her with the strange substance still spewing from his mouth. After a few moments it weakened and died down, sending the Alpha into a coughing fit.

As soon as he had stopped Dom rolled onto her back and sat up, studying herself with a shocked expression on her face. The substance had eaten through her armor deeply enough to expose her face and arms in several places.

"You fekking scum…" she said, panting hard. "I can't remember the last time someone's gotten through my armor." She stood a bit shakily and smirked as the Alpha tried again, this time with no results. "Too bad you don't have more where that came from. Now…I think it's time Rhakzar had his sacrifice, don't you?" She raised the axe again, body poised to kill.

"Dom, wait!" Wander cried, straining at his chains. "No more killing!"

She hesitated and looked back at him unhappily, battle-lust still raging in her eyes. "Ugh, can you stop with the hippy crap for one second? These guys are trying to kill you, _especially_ this one."

"Well…so did you."

The axe drooped in her hands until it hit the ground with a dull thud. "Yeah, but…but he…he…" Dom's shoulders slumped. "Grop, I suck at this whole good guy thing."

Cracks appeared in the black goop as the Alpha struggled to break free. Just as he emerged she whammed him with a hammer-hand, sending him flying into the abyss below.

"Dom!"

She grinned, looking somewhat guilty. "What? I didn't _kill_ him. I'm sure he'll be fine."

They heard an impact from deep below.

Wander gave Dom the same chiding face he gave Sylvia whenever he sensed she was lying to him. She opened her mouth to reply but froze as an arrow bounced off her armor and hurtled past Wander, missing him barely by two feet.

"Alright, Melody, time to get Wander out of here," she announced loudly.

"Understood!" Melody soared towards Wander on the hover-board and landed next to him. Dom turned towards the ice-wall, which was cracking from the many infuriated Dhraks pounding on it, and prepared for more fighting.

"Melody," Wander said, gazing wide-eyed at the splatters of glowing blood all over her clothes and fur. "I told you not to rescue me. You'll get killed."

"They haven't killed me yet," Melody said with a grim smile. "Now, let's get you out of here."

Wander looked over at Sylvia, who was grunting as she punched three Dhraks in a row off a ledge and briefly flew up to avoid a blow before dipping back into the fray. She seemed to be holding her own, especially with the help of the hover-board, but he was concerned at how outnumbered she was. "You could have been killed," he protested. "You still could be."

Melody blocked an arrow coming too close for comfort and turned back to him. Her katanas were glowing with heat – probably Dom's doing.

"You don't understand, do you." She swung with all her might at the chain attached to Wander's left arm. It left noticeable damage but not enough. She swung again and it broke all the way through.

"Understand what?"

She fixed him in an intense gaze. "That Sylvia and I wouldn't mind that, because we'd rather _die_ than live in a world without you."

Tears sprang to his eyes and he gave a shaky smile, for a rare moment lost for words. Then a cry grabbed his attention. Sylvia had been torn from the hover-board and it had been smashed to pieces. There were three Dhraks on top of her, beating her viciously with their clubs.

Melody followed his gaze. "Dom, go help her!" she shouted, body tensing.

"No, don't worry, I got this!" Sylvia hollered, kicking two of them off of her. "Just focus on getting Wander out of here and _agh-_ "

Melody gasped. "Dom! She's unconscious! Go up there and help her!"

"Got it, ninja girl." Dominator charged towards the ledge Sylvia was on, punching Dhraks out of her way like they were tin cans.

"Sylvia," Wander whimpered.

Melody smashed the chain on the right. "She'll be fine, Wandy. Let me just break the cuffs on your ankles and fly out of here."

He smiled at her, a dazed look in his eyes. "Heh. You called me Wandy."

She was busy studying the cuffs on his ankles. "These are so close together, I'm afraid I'll burn you if I try to break them. We'll worry about them later, let's just get out of here." She extended a hand to him to help him up, but he didn't move, his eyes focused on the giant spiked arm that had grabbed onto the front bridge.

"Um, Melody?"

She lifted him to his feet and bent over the hover-board, pressing something. "Don't worry, once I can get this thing going we'll be fine. Come on, come on… _why aren't you working, you stupid-_

"MELODY!"

 _"What?"_

"A-Alpha," he stammered, pointing.

She whirled just in time to see the monster heave himself onto the bridge, causing another violent vibration. He had retrieved the red axe somehow.

"Well, that's just _perfect_." Melody knelt next to the hover-board and pressed every button she could find on the control panel. "Work, you stupid piece of junk!"

Wander watched the monster suck in a breath, a green glow brightening the inside of his mouth.

There was no time to give a warning. Wander threw himself on his knees next to Melody and grabbed the hover-board. Before she could react he shouldered her to the ground, moved in front of her and raised the board like a shield as a funnel of acid death was unleased upon them. The hover-board sparked and shook as it took the full hit of the substance. When the blast died away Wander found himself holding a smoking, crumbling metal shell.

"My hover-board! That took me two whole weeks to make, you fekking fek-head!" he heard Dominator scream angrily. Wander hoped that was meant for the Alpha, not him.

Melody scrambled to her feet, breathing hard. "Wander! Thank you, that was amazing! Now we've got to get the _scrabbin_ out of here!"

The Alpha grabbed a fallen Dhrak behind him and hurled its heavy body at one of the bridges, causing the entire thing to crumble. Melody picked Wander up, ignoring the hindrance this caused her, and bolted towards one of the side bridges. Before they could reach the end another Dhrak body slammed into the rock stretching before them, causing it to give way as well.

"Dominator, a little help!" Melody screamed, running towards the last bridge.

"It'd like to but I got my arm stuck in this stupid cave-in and Sylvia's decided to take her sweet fekking time to wake up and help me fight!"

Wander's heart plummeted as the last bridge crumbled in front of them from the impact of a third dead Dhrak.

"See, Wander, this is why I don't play nice!" Dominator shouted. She gave a frustrated cry as a small Dhrak leapt onto her back and avoided the ice darts and fire balls she blindly shot back at it.

Melody moved back to the platform and placed Wander on the opposite side of the rune-stone, where he would be protected from the Alpha's acid blast. "Stay here," she said, looking him deep in the eyes. "I'll do my best to hold him off until Dom can free herself."

His eyes filled with tears as he wondered if this was the last moment he would see her alive and breathing.

"Don't cry, little one." She kissed him roughly on the forehead. "If I die, I must die. At least this time…I can say I tried."

She raced around the stone, the two tongues of orange ribbon in her hair fluttering behind her.

Wander heard a deep laugh from the Alpha. He fought the temptation to peek around the stone, instead waiting tremblingly for the first sounds of fighting.

"Nowhere to run? Shame, because _this time_ I'm aiming for more than your eye…Cherry Blossom."


	14. XIV

**XIV**

The Alpha towered above her, his black eyes glittering menacingly.

"Aleir?"

His jaw unhinged into a chilling smile. "The one and only."

"Is this what they gave you for betraying Ivon?" Melody picked up the katanas with hands shaking from pure, unadulterated rage.

"No, but it gave me just the respect and standing I needed to rise to the top," Aleir replied. He leered at her as she blinked rapidly, fighting back a wave of tears that were coming at a most unwanted moment.

"Aw, are you going to cry? If it's any comfort…his death was quick. Just as Wander's will be." He laughed.

She moved the katanas to either side, teeth coming together in a feral snarl. "Not this time." The words were almost a whisper.

"What was that?"

"Not. This. TIME!"

She lunged at the Alpha, a whirlwind of pink slashing fury. She dodged his swiping claws, landed on his back and plunged the glowing blades into his body, causing him to roar with pain. He writhed and lashed at her, chunks of shattered crystal and bloody spikes flying through the air as her weapons landed strike after strike.

"Get him, ninja girl!" she could vaguely hear Dom cheering. "Go for the neck!"

"Too many crystals," Melody muttered. It took every ounce of her concentration to avoid the Alpha's thrashing tail and claws.

She was suddenly aware that the Alpha had staggered off the bridge and onto the open rock area. She glanced back at the gray stone walls approaching.

 _He's going to try to smash me._

She looked forward again just in time to see a clawed hand coming straight towards her. The impact sent her flying backwards into the wall. She hit it with a pained grunt and groaned in frustration when she opened her eyes to a blurry world. Her mind had barely recovered before the Alpha's fist emerged in her vision and she dove out of the way. His fist hit the wall so hard that the rock cracked.

Melody scrambled to her feet, still clutching the katanas. _Got to stay between him and Wander._

She ran back onto the bridge without looking behind her. Suddenly something heavy slammed into her from behind and she hit the ground with a cry of pain.

"Melody?" Wander's head popped out from behind the pillar.

Aleir had thrown a smoking Mega corpse onto her. As she struggled to get free more bodies landed on her, crushing her light, delicate body.

"Aw, is the little warrior trapped?" Aleir pressed on the bodies, making Melody scream with agony as the sharp bodies of the Dhraks poked into her.

"Don't hurt her, please!" Wander cried, running towards them and holding out his hands in protest.

"Alright then, you first," Aleir sneered. Wander skidded to a stop as the monster moved forwards, towering over his tiny form. Before Wander could even think of running Aleir swept him up and threw him viciously into the pillar. Wander slid to the ground, head drooping and eyes struggling to stay open.

"Leave him alone!" Melody screamed, struggling despite this causing stabbing pains from the Dhraks crushing her.

Aleir stepped over the pile of Dhraks on her and advanced towards Wander, who dazedly watched him approach.

Melody suddenly heard a panicked cry from somewhere above.

"Wander!"

It was Sylvia's voice.

She shut her eyes. _Use your star-energy. USE IT!_ But she felt nothing change inside her.

 _Not enough positive emotion. Too much hate._

She peered out at Aleir, who was still steadily approaching Wander. Then it came to her.

 _If I want even a chance of this working, I'm going to have to forgive him._ Her insides cringed at the very thought. How could she ever bring herself to do it?

It was in that moment when she felt a quiet thought slip into her mind from out of nowhere. _Love is so much better than hate._

Tears came to her eyes. She knew it was true. And it was what Ivon and Wander would want her to do.

She took a shuddering breath, trying to block out the stomps of Aleir's four feet hitting the ground in turn as he walked, shaking the rock bridge every time.

 _I…forgive…you. I forgive you._ A weight fell from her body and she felt the rushing, hot energy rise within her as the hate emptied from her heart, leaving room for her love for Wander to pour inside.

Aleir was raising his axe now, Sylvia crying out in protest.

Wander looked away silently.

Then the axe fell.

Like a bolt of pink lightning Melody burst from the pile of bodies and slammed into Wander, causing both of them to roll to the side. The axe-head struck the pillar and it crumbled forwards, smashing onto Aleir as he roared.

Melody clutched Wander tightly as the wounded monster thrashed, trying to get the weight of the pillar off of him. All of her energy had been spent.

"Dom, please tell me you're free by now!" she called, looking blindly at the darkened walls around her. It was even harder to see because her vision was blurred from exhaustion. She spotted some flashing glowing orange and decided that must be Dominator.

"NO!" Dom yelled in frustration. "Just get the heck off of that center rock – it's gonna fall any moment!"

"The Alpha's in the way!"

She focused back on Aleir as he finally struggled free from the pillar, making it roll into the blackness below. He crawled towards them, causing the rock platform to tremble more precariously with each movement he made.

Melody rose to her knees, Wander still lying beneath her. She looked down at him, frowning.

 _I've still failed. Aleir is going to kill us or we're going to fall to our deaths._

But he was smiling up at her.

"Melody, I just want to tell you, I love you," he said, leaning up and tenderly kissing her cheek.

She moved a bruised hand to his cheek. "I'm sorry I failed you."

He took her hand with his own, his eyes growing serious. "You haven't failed me at all."

XXXX

Sylvia had finished off the last of the attacking Dhraks and was ready to make a heedless run at the Alpha when she heard Dom's voice behind her.

"Sylvia."

She turned to see Dom still hunched over trapped, looking at her with solemn red eyes.

"Take this sword and throw it to Melody." She shoved her prized flaming lava sword at Sylvia and the Zbornak picked it up, feeling a tendril of hope make its way through the blind desperation clogging her mind.

"Melody, watch out, I'm throwing this to you!"

She would never have done this in regular battle, but the Dhrak's mouth was opening wide. With all her strength she tossed the heavy creation towards Melody.

"You got this, girl!" Dom shouted encouragingly.

Melody grabbed the sword as it clattered onto the rock and slid towards her. Tongues of flame danced on her arms as she stopped the sword and lifted it, but they didn't seem to be affecting her.

Sylvia watched with her heart in her throat as Melody struggled to her feet and slowly brought the sword behind her head.

The Alpha's mouth opened wider. Green death was now forming in its mouth.

 _Please, God, please, please…_ Sylvia whispered without knowing she was doing so.

"Aleir, you're done!" Melody screamed. She flung the sword directly into his gaping mouth and threw her body over Wander's to protect him from whatever happened next.

A huge explosion rocked the cave as the Alpha collapsed, causing yellow-green goo and crystals to fly everywhere.

As soon as it had stopped, Sylvia sprinted towards the collapsing bridge, pulling Wander's hat from beneath her armor and saddle. She reached in blindly, pulled out the bubble caster and leapt into the middle of the cave, falling just a few meters above the center platform which was already disappearing into the darkness.

"Don't worry, I'm coming for ya!" she yelled, diving towards the pair who were still together. As soon as she reached them she wrapped an orbal around them and their descent tumbled to a halt. Sylvia shuddered as she heard the remains of the Alpha hit the ground, creating a large glowing splatter many meters below. Then she studied the bedraggled pair next to her. Wander's eyes were closed and he wasn't moving.

"Is he-?" she choked out.

Melody looked up at her, still holding Wander tightly. "No, he just blacked out when Aleir exploded."

Sylvia blinked. "Aleir? You mean you actually know that Alpha monster?"

"Once."

The bubble was slowly drifting deeper into the darkness to the point that the only decent light came from the flames spreading along Melody and Wander's fur.

"Is that hurting you?" Sylvia asked, staring.

"No. We're Star-borns, heat doesn't affect us in that way," Melody replied quietly.

"Wander never mentioned that. I'm not sure he even knows." She patted his head affectionately, weak with relief that he was still alive. "Alright, now we just need to get out of here." Sylvia looked nervously upwards. "There still might be some Dhrak archers around – but let's hope not."

She scooped up the Star-borns and hurried towards the blue circle of light. It looked so far away.

"Hey, dorks, wait up, I need a ride too!" Dominator ran towards them, waving a hand impatiently.

Sylvia hesitated as she approached Dom. "You can't join an orbal, we'll have to-

She broke off as Dominator jumped onto the bubble and stood up shakily.

"Don't do that, now I can't move it!" Sylvia huffed.

"Well, don't worry, it's gonna rise on its own," Dominator said ominously, scanning the ledges around them for any Dhraks still able to fight.

"How?"

She gave Sylvia a theatrical look. "Lava, my dear. When in doubt, the answer is always lava."

She shut her eyes and clutched the air, concentrating. They heard a deep rumbling noise.

"What's happening?" Melody asked nervously.

"This volcano hasn't seen action in so long. Time to fix that." Dominator grinned as lava glimmered from the depths. As it grew closer and closer Sylvia realized the lava was pouring into the cavern at a very swift rate.

As the air around them warmed, the orbal started moving up faster and faster.

"What are you doing to the volcano?" Melody asked. "You want it to erupt?"

"Yes. This will destroy the Dhraks' only access to the surface, stopping them from ever coming back."

Sylvia studied the masses of wounded and dead Dhraks that were crawling around the cave, hissing and writhing. "Good."

"This is going to kill a lot of them, isn't it?" Melody said, looking at the Dhraks below them as well.

"Yes. Is Wander still having a good nap in there?"

Melody nodded silently.

Sylvia looked from his peaceful face to the seething lava below them, knowing that he would protest if he could. She felt a little bad herself. _But this has to be done. At least he's not awake to see this._

"My katanas," Melody said hollowly, peering into the blackness below. "I left them behind."

Sylvia rested a hand wordlessly on her shoulder.

Ugly smoke thickened the air around them. Dominator coughed but didn't complain. At last the orbal rose all the way through the hole.

Sylvia glanced up at Dom. Her hair was plastered to her face from sweat, and her green skin was an ashy gray from the smoke.

"I've got this, I've got this…"

They drifted further and further away from the mouth of the volcano. Dominator gave an agonized grunt and thrust her arms forward.

The volcano erupted with a violent spurt, sending streams of lava pouring down its sides and billows of smoke into the air.

"Watch this." Dominator raised her hands and a wave of ice descended upon the mountain, causing a reaction that sent hissing clouds of steam into the air. "I freed the lava, now I'm sealing it."

After a few minutes she slumped, first falling to her knees and then onto her stomach. "Alright, that's enough action for today. Let's find a tree, make a little fort or something, and get some rest."

As soon as the bubble got close enough to a tree Dominator created a nest-like platform of lava that wrapped around several thick branches. When they landed and the bubble popped, Dominator immediately rolled onto her side and released a long sigh. "Just a few minutes…" she mumbled, her eyes fluttering shut.

Sylvia curled around Wander and Melody climbed onto her back. "We'll be safe up here," Melody said, patting Sylvia's neck.

"That's good to know," Sylvia mumbled, adjusting her body slightly before going limp.

The volcano continued to smoke and shake while nearby a ninja, a hippy, a steed, and a villain slept as though they had not a care in the world.


	15. XV

**Hey followers! I know it's been a while since I've updated, but college has kept me busy! I'm getting better at prioritizing and scheduling, however, so the final chapter shouldn't take as long. :) Also, I will be posting some new fan art on my illustration blog, so don't forget to keep checking that. Happy New Year everyone! Keep calm and Wander on!**

* * *

 **XV**

He felt soft pressure on his head and a voice muttering quietly. Someone was lifting his head and wrapping a bandage around it. The pain that began throbbing as soon as the bandage was tightened brought him swiftly to full consciousness, but he hesitated to open his eyes, because he recognized the voice. The words were audible now.

"Stupid blood getting everywhere. People are trying to sleep, you know."

His body was moved slightly so that his head rested on a different position than it had originally. Then the owner of the voice got up and moved away with light footsteps.

Wander opened his eyes and sat up. Dominator was sitting on the edge of the lava creation that he found himself on, staring at the smoking volcano in the distance. Her hair was slightly pink from the sun hanging low in the sky.

Wander looked down at the pool of blood that must have formed while he was sleeping. His hand stole up to the bandage and he patted it, smiling.

Dominator didn't look at him when he silently sat beside her. There were burn marks on her face and arms, but they didn't look too severe.

"Are they okay?" he asked in a low voice so as to not wake Melody and Sylvia, who were still sleeping soundly in a heap.

"Who? Melody and Sylvia?"

"No, the Dhraks."

She shifted her legs. "Well then…no. Not really." She glanced over at him.

He looked like he wanted to ask her further about it, but he sighed instead and turned back to watch the volcano. "I just wish…I wish they could have been…not so mean. You know what I mean?"

She nodded.

"When I'd look in their eyes…there was so much coldness, so much darkness. I don't think anything I said affected any of them." He put his knees to his chest. "Sometimes I think…sometimes…" he took a breath, "I think maybe there's no hope for them to change."

Dominator didn't respond for a long time. He'd given up waiting for a response when she turned to him and said quietly, "Never give up hope, Wander. If you'd given up on me…"

She looked away from him, suddenly shy. "I never would've changed."

A wide smile broke upon his face and he blinked back tears.

Dominator finally managed to meet his eyes again. "Their hearts are hard. But that doesn't mean they can't change. Sometimes…it just takes time."

He remembered that he was sitting in a tree with the most feared, ruthless villain in the galaxy, watching the sun set and talking about hearts being changed. A dream that had been cruelly killed many months ago took a new breath.

Dominator was talking again in her weird new shy way that warmed his heart.

"When you hugged me…that was the first time someone had hugged me in…" Dominator hesitated. "Oh grop, I don't know. Practically a hundred thousand years. Besides, the only person who's ever hugged me was my mom and one of my stupid cousins." She sighed. "Believe it or not, I actually kind of miss them, even my dad and brothers." She blinked. "Why am I telling you all of this?"

Wander moved a little closer to her. "Would you like another one?"

"Another what? Oh…a hug?" She glanced at the sleeping pair nervously, but they still looked completely out of it.

"Well, I…uh…" Dom smiled. "Alright. Now that I'm a "good guy", I guess I've gotta get used to these dumb little friendship rituals." She awkwardly spread her arms and Wander wasted no time entering the embrace as though he had been awaiting it his entire life.

The Wyrls were overjoyed to see Melody, Sylvia, and Wander arrive back at their village, safe and sound. Chief Nasaki held a great feast to celebrate, made complete with dancing, singing, and sparring. After the feasting was over, Sylvia took Wander aside.

"I have something for you," she said, pulling out his hat from under her saddle. "I've been so overwhelmed by this crazy day that it slipped my mind."

Wander took the hat and placed it on his head, giving a contented sigh.

"Thanks, Syl. I knew you'd take good care of it."

When he looked at her, he was startled to see her eyes brimming with tears.

"Now Wander, I want you to promise me, you will _never_ run off like that again."

He took her muzzle gently. "Sylvia, I'm sorry I had to put you through that. But if I had to, I'd do it again, and again. For me, it's not even a choice."

Sylvia drew in a breath and sighed. "Fine. I may not be able to stop you from going, but you can't stop me from going with you. And for me, it's not a choice either."

She blinked back her tears and smiled at him. Wander hugged her tightly and stepped back. "Thanks, Syl. Now, I've gotta go find Melody. I just had an idea."

The feasting platform was empty, as the Wyrls had dispersed to other parts of the village to celebrate. Wander went across a bridge and found a group of them crowded around two sparring Wyrls. Dom was there, watching the fighting with a grin on her face.

"Do you know where Melody is?" he asked her.

"I don't know. She was just talking to that old-looking tree guy over there."

"Oh, Ryn. He should know where she went, then."

"Wait, Wander, don't you wanna watch the sparring for a bit?" Dom said quickly as he turned to go. "It's so adorable."

He gave her a polite but dismissive smile. "No thanks."

"Whatever. Your loss," Dom said as he walked away.

With Ryn's direction, Wander soon found Melody sitting with her father. The two of them were surrounded by many Wyrls that were listening with fascination.

"….she had lava powers that she used to make herself armor and a red-hot sword. Sylvia still didn't trust her very much, but when we reached the mountain…"

Wander sat down with the others and waited until Melody had finished telling the story. Then he rose and walked towards her, the Wyrls around him respectfully moving back to give him space.

"Melody, I think you should play a song now," he said, smiling at her encouragingly.

She hesitated. "I…well…"

"Please play, Warrior Melody!" one of the children cried eagerly. "Your voice is so beautiful!"

Melody blushed. "You little spy!"

The children surged towards her. "Please play, please play!"

"Alright. What should I play, then?"

"Ivan's song," Wander said immediately.

She looked at him and gave a little smile. "Okay."

As soon as she'd gotten her mandolin, she and Wander sat down and began to pluck out the notes.

"Wherever you are, I hope that the stars shine as brightly for you, as they do for me…"

More and more Wyrls gathered around and listened raptly as the two Star-borns sang into the night.

When they'd finished, the Wyrls clapped and cheered.

"Ivan would be proud of you," Nasaki said lovingly, placing his hands on Melody's shoulders. "You've come a long way from the girl I once knew. At first, a wanderer, then a warrior, and now…a child of wisdom. I can see in your eyes that you've finally been able to forgive."

"That's sweet. But can someone please give me a little help over here?" Dominator spoke up.

Wander realized she was covered in Wyrl children. Some were snuggling in her lap, while others were climbing on her shoulders or playing with her hair. He laughed.

"I want to say something too," Sylvia said. "Thank you, Melody, for saving my precious little buddy's life. Words could never say how much I appreciate you." She gave Melody a tight hug.

When the two pulled away, the children spoke up. "Play another song, play another song!"

Melody smiled at Wander. "How about the one with the frog?"

His fingers were already ready at the strings. "Perfect."

The two of them played for many hours. Sylvia, Dominator, and the other Wyrls relaxed around a fire one of the Wyrls started up and listened to the cheerful tunes. Remembering that she had a lovely voice, Wander tried to get Dom to sing at one point, but she refused.

After about an hour had passed and the sky was sparkling with stars, Melody put down her mandolin. The children had all fallen asleep around Dominator, who sat with a defeated look on her face. Everyone was yawning off, lulled by the gentle music, warm fire, and full stomachs, but Melody and Wander were too focused on each other to feel sleepy.

"I love your dress," Wander said quietly. Melody glanced down at her shimmery, see-through white dress. "I used to wear dresses like this all the time. But after Ivon died and I started training, I preferred the warrior uniform." She fingered the dress. "I didn't realize how much I missed wearing these until I put this on again."

There was a silence in which Wander held himself back from speaking. He had a feeling that there was something more that Melody wanted to say.

"Do you know why I was so cold to you when you first came here?" Melody asked at last.

"What do you mean?" Wander asked, trying to look confused. "I don't remember that."

"Wander. Don't lie to me…you _know_ I was purposely avoiding you."

"Well, ok…I remember it a little bit."

"It's because…" Melody hugged her sides and looked away from Wander, suddenly shy. "After what had happened to Ivon, I had promised myself I would never grow that close to someone again, especially if they were a Star-born. But the moment I saw you…I knew I would fall in love with you. And I was terrified of that. I tried to stop it from happening, but I couldn't control it." She paused. "It's like what you told me about song-writing. How there will just be a song in your heart, and you don't even know it's there, until you sing it and then it feels as though you've known it your whole life.

You see…I loved you the moment I met you, and I felt as though I'd loved you my whole life."

She looked down, trembling. In the fire-light her eyes shone with tears. The only other time Wander had seen her look this vulnerable was when she had apologized for "failing" him.

"I know, I know, it's-"

Her voice cut off as Wander took her face in his hands, gently lifting it until her eyes locked with his. "Melody, that is the sappiest thing I have ever heard in my life." He smiled. "And I _love_ it."

A tear slipped down Melody's face and she smiled back. Wander leaned forward and gave her a kiss a soft as the brush of a butterfly's wings.


	16. Two Years! (quick author annoucement)

I can't believe it's been two years.

Two summers ago, around this time, I was working hard on this fanfiction story. I loved how the story was turning out, and I still love it. I actually just recently completed an animation showing Melody fighting the Draks when she was attempting to rescue Wander. However, when I went off to college, I was thrown off of the writing track, plus I had other projects I started working on.

I appreciate all of the kind reviews I've received. I'm sorry for taking so long to finish this story. But I PROMISE that I have never forgotten it, and am determined to complete it. By the end of this summer, I should be finished (there are only a few chapters left and one of them is already written, I just haven't posted it).

I don't know if people still follow this story or remember what's happened. But if there is anyone who still appreciates it, I assure you, I will deliver a good ending soon. :)


	17. Epilogue

**Author's Note:** I apologize - I was mistaken in my last author's note "Two Years" because I forgot that I had posted the latest chapter. So there isn't another chapter in the story. However, I never finished the epilogue. So - here you guys go. :)

* * *

 **Epilogue**

She shouldn't be this emotional, she kept telling herself. They would be back in a few months - Wander had _promised_. In four month's time, a mora full of trading goods would head to Yyleiia from Nephoan, their neighboring planet. Wander and Sylvia planned to follow it to make sure they wouldn't get lost when returning.

She could feel tears burning her eyelids and she aggressively blinked them away. She didn't want to make Wander sadder than he already was. Currently, he was surrounded by countless Wyrl children begging him to stay.

"Red-eyed girl leaves and now _you_ leave?" one boy whined, clinging to Wander's arm.

"Now Jiynn, you know my pal Sylvia and I have to leave _sometime_ ," Wander said, ruffling the child's leafy hair affectionately. "There's so much to see and do, so many folks to meet and help, and so many more lessons to learn!"

As his eyes moved upwards they rested on her and his smile faltered a little. Melody attempted a smile in return, but it felt somewhat forced. There was something awkward between them that wasn't normally there, but had started since last night, during their final feast.

Sylvia walked up to the edge of the platform, her tail moving restlessly. She was packed with supply bags that included dried fruit and coins given by the Wyrls. "Wander, you about done, buddy?" she asked, a tiny bit of impatience in her voice. "You don't need to say goodbye to every single Wyrl. I'm sure they all know you'll miss them."

"Aw, but I can't turn down a hug!" Wander replied. Multiple Wyrls were coming up to hug him goodbye, and it didn't look like they would let up for a while.

Melody laughed lightly, but there was a weight in the pit of her stomach. _This is the way it has to be,_ she told herself. _You stay here, help the patrol keep watch for the remaining Draks on the surface, and provide company for your aging father. Wander and Sylvia are travelers. They've told me story after story of the two of them exploring the galaxy together. They're a team, and they always will be. I can't break them up by trying to make Wander stay here. He'll visit. And maybe…one day he'll decide to stay. But that will have to wait._

Melody stood quietly near Sylvia, waiting to say goodbye to Wander. She was so lost in her thoughts she barely noticed Sylvia trying to catch her eye. "We'll see you later, Melody. Take care. It's been fun. Well, mostly. Except for that part with the Draks, and, well, you know." Sylvia forced out a laugh, and Melody joined her. _Even with Sylvia it's awkward,_ she thought, befuddled.

Sylvia was playing with her hands. "You know, Wander never forgets his friends, so...since you're his girlfriend, I…uh…I assure you, he'll never forget you, no matter where we go these four months." She scratched her comb with her back leg, frowning.

 _Again with the awkwardness._ Melody nodded and smiled politely. "Yeah…" she mumbled. "I know he won't."

She longed to join them. But as far as she knew, Wander had always ridden Sylvia alone. She couldn't encroach on the two of them. If they had wanted her, they would have asked already. Still, after the feast last night, she had packed everything she owned in the hopes that maybe, just maybe, they would ask her.

But now it was time to say goodbye. The Wyrls were standing back, watching Wander walk towards her.

"I am so glad I was able to meet you," he said, looking uncharacteristically shy. "You saved my life, and Sylvia's life." He slapped a hand to his head and laughed. "Just think – you helped Sylvia team up with _Dominator,_ the planet destroyer, to save me from the inside of a volcano!" He grinned. "I haven't met another Star-born yet, but I don't think I'll ever find one as crazy as you. Or pretty." They both blushed and Melody gave him a swift kiss. As soon as her eyes closed, tears spilled down her face. She rubbed her cheeks angrily. "I'm sorry. I promised I wouldn't cry."

"And I told you not to promise that," Wander said, hugging her tight.

Eventually Melody pushed him away.

"Just go, okay?" She twisted her hair in her hands. It was no longer in a pony-tail bun, instead hanging loosely down her back. She also wasn't wearing her ninja uniform. She hadn't felt like wearing it for a while. "The faster you leave, the faster you'll come back."

"I hate leaving," Wander said, tugging at the sides of his hat.

"I've already told you, I'll be fine. This place is my home, these people are my people. And I have my father to take care of." Melody forced a smile.

Something hung in the air between them, something unknown. Wander finally clambered onto Sylvia's back and waved farewell to everyone.

"I had a lovely stay!" he said, smiling brightly at everyone. Then he whipped his hat off and pulled out his bubble caster.

Sylvia tensed, ready as always for the bubble to wrap itself around them and whisk them off to another adventure. But for the first time ever Wander remained frozen, holding the bubble caster and wand in his hands and staring at them.

"What's wrong, Wander?" Sylvia whispered, but Melody was still close enough to hear.

Wander looked into her eyes and then back down at the bubble equipment. "I wanted to give it time, I wanted to give us at least one more trip together where it was just the two of us…but…"

"Buddy, you don't have to explain. I had a feeling things have changed for good. Remember what I said – just _ask her."_

The Wyrls were all murmuring to themselves, clearly confused that the pair hadn't taken off yet. Melody's heart was beating like a drum inside her chest.

Wander looked directly at Melody and took a deep breath. "Melody…I know that this is your home. I know that you've lived with these people for a long time and that you have formed many close friendships – even a father. And I know you have your job of patrolling. You've built a whole life here. But…would you mind…"

Melody's heart leapt within her throat.

"Coming along with us?"

"Yes!"

Wander's face broke out into a relieved smile and the couple laughed, releasing the tension that had built inside both of them.

Melody felt a heavy hand on her shoulder, and her heart promptly sank. She turned to look up at her adopted father who had cared for her so many years. She opened her mouth to speak but he held up a hand to silence her.

"You may go with them. Do not worry about me, daughter. Nothing would make me happier than to know that you have found great happiness in your own life. I have never seen such light in your eyes in all my years of knowing you, not even when you had your other Star-born friend with you. Go, and start a new life. Isn't that what Star-borns are meant to do?"

She held onto him for several minutes, her heart nearly bursting with gratitude. "Thank you, Father," she gasped out. "What would I have done without you?" Then, with the Wyrls cheering and talking excitedly among themselves, Melody raced off to collect her belongings.

/

Sylvia gazed in awe at the gorgeous gas clouds shimmering across the sky to the left of the direction she was traveling. The two Star-borns on her back were playing their instruments and singing together. Wander had asked her if the singing was bothering her, but she said it was fine. They could sing anytime - except when she wanted to sleep. _How will Wander propose?_ Sylvia wondered. _What ring do you reckon he'll give her? Will he invite Hater to the wedding?_

She laughed quietly. _Who am I kidding. Of_ course _he'll invite him. I bet he'll invite Dominator too. Now that'll make things awkward._ She smiled. _It's going to be crazy. Hopefully the good kind of crazy._

She plodded steadily on, listening to the two Star-borns sing together. Their high and low voices intertwined in the sweet, strong, soulful notes of two ancient wanderers who have found something new to sing about.


End file.
